Michigan QB Bryce Underwood surprises his former high school security guard with new car

CBS News

17-04-2025

University of Michigan freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood is one of the biggest names in college football.
A 6-foot-4, five-star recruit and the consensus No. 1 overall ranked high school football player in the nation, Underwood is a local celebrity in Belleville, Michigan.
After leading the Belleville Tigers to a pair of MHSAA Division 1 state championships, a 50-4 overall record over four years and garnering several personal accolades, Underwood made headlines late last year after shocking the sports world when he decommitted from LSU and signed with Michigan.
Before he officially dons the Maize and Blue this fall, Underwood wanted to give back to someone he formed an unlikely relationship with: Belleville High School security guard Mike Darty.
Underwood invited Darty to Belleville High a few weekends ago, telling him he would be conducting an interview about their close bond. But Darty would soon learn he would be leaving the school for a different reason in a different car that day.
CBS News Detroit was with Underwood when he gifted Darty a new Chevrolet, which was made possible through Underwood's NIL deal with the Feldman Auto Group.
"Just how awesome of an opportunity is it as a 17-year-old to be able to give back to someone who means a lot to you," Underwood said. "Honestly, I feel like that's God's blessing; he put me on this earth to give back to the people that I love."
Underwood and Darty say that throughout Underwood's time at Belleville High School, the two would talk between classes, at the beginning of the school day, and anytime either of them needed an ear.
"I feel like a lot of the athletes just need someone who they can just come talk to," Darty said.
And for Underwood, it was an amazing opportunity to be able to help someone who's always been there for him.
"Nothing but excitement coming from me, you know he really didn't know how to react, so it was just like a blessing, a dream come true, honestly just being able to give back to the people that didn't even ask for anything out of me," Underwood said.
Darty says that this act of kindness is just emblematic of who Underwood is as a person.
"That means I had an impact on somebody who's had an impact on so many people already. Like he's had an impact on our entire community, and to know that I had a big impact on him, where he was willing to do something like that for me, it makes me feel good as a person," said Darty.