NFL retirees mentoring players on fatherhood
Print Edition
Long before Usama Young鈥檚 father co-starred with him in a Super Bowl commercial, he influenced his love for football.
鈥淭he other day we were talking about our heroes and I was talking about how my dad taught me how to tackle, just be fearless and look the opponent in the eye and don鈥檛 put your head down,鈥 said Young, a safety who played for the Saints, Browns and Raiders between 2007-15.
鈥淚 played with that fearlessness. And I think my dad pushing me every day, being able to be at my game, praying with me before every game, and him being able to see my last game before he passed away, that meant the world to me.鈥
Young sold lemonade during NFL games in Washington as a kid. His father, Leroi Young, got him the job and helped him regain it when he was fired a couple times. Before New Orleans beat the Colts in the 2010 Super Bowl, the league featured the father-son in a television ad.
鈥淭hat was amazing,鈥 Usama Young said. 鈥淗e kept reminding me: 鈥榊ou ever thought after getting fired you鈥檇 be here today shooting a commercial?鈥 He said that only God could write this story.鈥
Keith Elias鈥 dad never played football because he was too small, but he influenced the way his son approached the game. Elias spent five seasons in the league as a running back with the Giants and Colts from 1994-99.
鈥淗e helped me keep everything in perspective,鈥 Elias said. 鈥淗e had a really difficult life with some extreme challenges and so he approached every day that no matter what you did, love people, love what you鈥檙e doing and give it your all.
鈥淗e didn鈥檛 care if I played football or if I played chess. He was just like: 鈥楾reat people the way you want to be treated, work as hard as you can and live every moment to the fullest.鈥 And that was the real life lesson I took from him.鈥
Both Young and Elias pass on the wisdom learned from their fathers with other NFL players in their current roles. Elias is the NFL鈥檚 senior director of player engagement and Young is a member of the NFL鈥檚 player engagement staff. They work closely with the league鈥檚 fatherhood initiative for players.
鈥淚t鈥檚 truly a brotherhood to celebrate how valuable fathers are in their families鈥 lives, in the community and how being a father is just something that we can鈥檛 take for granted,鈥 Usama Young said. 鈥淲e understand how valuable we are. Now that I am a father, I see why my dad pushed me so hard. I see why my dad didn鈥檛 let me give up.鈥
The initiative celebrates past and present players and the positive influence paternal relationships have on families and communities. Throughout the year, the staff provides parenting resources, support, events and creating opportunities for peer-to-peer learning among fathers inside the league.
鈥淭he message is to encourage, empower and equip guys,鈥 Elias said. 鈥淲e give them the tools to be able to reach out and build that relationship (with their children) and encourage them to do it right.鈥
Usama Young, who has a 5-year-old daughter and 2-year-old son, stressed the importance of leading by example, staying poised during adversity. 鈥淐hildren watch our every move,鈥 he said. 鈥淗ow we can lead by example as fathers, that鈥檚 of the utmost importance.鈥
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