The Ridley brothers are close with one another. They're not talking as national championship nears

Riley and Calvin Ridley aren’t talking to each other.

Normally, they chat every day.

But as Georgia and Alabama prepare to play each other in the college football national championship game on Monday, the brothers aren’t speaking.

“He ain't call me,” said Calvin, Alabama’s leading receiver. “He ain't text me.”

And Calvin won’t initiate conversation — at least, not until the game ends and one of the brothers has won a title.

Growing up, Riley and Calvin were intensely competitive. They played basketball and football and, as brothers often do, fought. On a patio in front of their family’s apartment in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, they honed their skills as receivers.

The patio wasn’t large. Maybe 30 yards across. The area’s size limited how far the game could go, but it forced the brothers to learn how to escape in tight spaces, a skill that’s essential for playing receiver.

Calvin and Riley never played on the same team on that patio. They always guarded each other. They’d play with their two younger brothers or other children in the neighborhood. Riley described the games as “intense.”

“We used to play early in the day so the rent office didn't see us on the patio playing football,” Calvin said.

By the time Riley reached his senior year of high school, he was a four-star recruit and Calvin was a breakout freshman with the Crimson Tide. As Calvin helped lead Alabama to a national championship, Riley watched intently, hoping to learn from his older brother. Riley didn’t want to copy his brother, but he hoped to mirror his path.

"I try to run my routes as pure as I can because that's what (Calvin) prides himself on," Riley said.

When it came time for Riley to make his college decision, he sought his brother’s advice.

“He played a big factor in my decision,” Riley said in December 2016. “He told me, 'I believe you should go to Georgia. Things are good here, but you can build something. Why not go do that?’ ”

Riley, who had been committed to South Carolina, signed with the Bulldogs and enrolled early. As a freshman, he showed flashes of his potential. Against Tennessee, Riley caught what appeared to be a game-winning touchdown with 10 seconds remaining. After the Volunteers won on a desperate heave to the end zone with no time left, Calvin contacted his brother.

“I wanted to know what he was thinking,” Calvin said.

Calvin said Riley thought he had won Georgia the game. Riley couldn’t believe how the game ended.

Riley continued to play well, catching a touchdown two weeks later. Meanwhile, Calvin took Alabama to its second straight national championship game. The Crimson Tide lost to Clemson, 45-40.

This season, Calvin has nearly 1,000 receiving yards for the second time in his career. In the Crimson Tide’s semifinal win over Clemson, he caught his fourth touchdown of the season. Riley’s statistics — eight receptions for 136 yards and two touchdowns — fail to match those of his older brother. Riley, a sophomore, has spent his season as a backup receiver on Georgia’s offense. He called his personal performance “unfortunate.”

When Riley chose Georgia, the brothers knew their only chance to play against each other would be in a championship game. Georgia and Alabama aren’t scheduled to play each other in the regular season until 2020.

As this season progressed, they realized their teams could face in the SEC Championship. However, Alabama lost to Auburn in the regular season finale.

Georgia beat Auburn in the SEC Championship. Alabama was given the No. 4 seed in the College Football Playoff.

Then, both teams won their semifinal games. That night — last Monday — Calvin and Riley talked. They haven’t spoken since.

This story was originally published January 6, 2018 at 3:17 PM with the headline "The Ridley brothers are close with one another. They're not talking as national championship nears."