Jacksonville Jaguars Community Report 2016-2017 | Page 18

This reality was all too common for most
children. Many times I witnessed friends
of mine being called to the front office
to be told that their fathers had been
killed in battle. A gold star would then
be hung in their honor and for the rest
of us, a chilling reality would hit that
this too could be our fathers.

My mother, a very strong woman, was the rock in our
home that kept us stable and kept our minds positive.
My father was a man of character, dedicated to his
work and his family. He was a leader to many, who still
contact him today to express their gratitude for all that
he has done in their lives and for others.
Watching his consistency and dedication growing up
made me into the man I am today. It strengthened me,
seeing his resilience and tough-mindedness. It taught
me what it takes to be successful and the hard work
that comes with it. I took that same work ethic and
dedication and put my full focus on becoming a professional football player. I worked tirelessly until draft day.
I waited anxiously by the phone, watching the first and
second rounds, in the third is when my phone rang and
on the other end was Mark Dominick with the Tampa
Bay Buccaneers, offering me a position on the team.

All of the days my father would run me miles and miles
away from home and me not knowing how I physically
was going to make it back, it all became worth it on
that day. My dad would always say, “soldiers don’t think
about pain, they don’t think about stopping. It’s all
about the team and never letting them down.” I take
that with me in everything I do today, as I lead the
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive line. I stress everyday
that what we do on the field is for each other and not
for ourselves, and that if we aren’t playing for our team
then we aren’t playing for a bigger purpose.