Mother’s Day: How football players and mothers are not that different

Sep 25, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) huddles with teammates during the first quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; Washington Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins (8) huddles with teammates during the first quarter against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /
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First and foremost I would like to wish all the moms out there a Happy Mother’s Day. Your sacrifice, love, and dedication doesn’t go a day unnoticed.

In football, the left tackle is essential in protecting the blindside of the quarterback. Trent Williams, the left tackle for the Washington Redskins, is one of the best of the league. Much like a left tackle, a good mother protects her children at all costs. Without a doubt, my mother has done that for me and my two sisters.

My mother has never in her life opened a running lane or protected a quarterback. What she has done however, is throw countless “blocks” at the “Lawrence Taylor’s” that tried to take me out in my life. Being a left tackle in the NFL is one of the more demanding positions in the game. Just like being a mother is one of the more demanding roles in life.

The daily grind of being a mother can be overwhelming at times, much like the work of Ryan Kerrigan. One of the more underrated pass-rusher’s in the NFL, Kerrigan has never missed a game in his career. A nightmare for opposing quarterbacks, Kerrigan is only the fifth player in NFL history to record at least 7.5 sacks in each of his first six seasons. He’s been a stalwart on the Redskins defense since his arrival in 2011.

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The mother of my first daughter doesn’t sack quarterbacks or blow up opposing offensive linemen like Kerrigan. But she makes sure the homework is done every night, and she keeps our daughter in line. All that hard work is crucial to helping children grow up.

In many ways, mothers are like the quarterbacks of their own families. Now that I’m starting my own, I realize that the mother of my second daughter has all the traits you’d look for in a wife. Regardless of situations and circumstances, she gives me an assurance that together we can withstand anything. Now I know how Bill Belichick feels on Sunday’s, with Tom Brady as his quarterback. And how Jay Gruden feels with Kirk Cousins at the helm.

When he first arrived in Washington, Cousins was a mere afterthought. Drafted in the same class as Robert Griffin III, he had few believers. Within the past two seasons, Cousins has broken nearly every franchise passing record and has a record of 17-14-1. Entering his third year as a starter, Cousins has brought the team back to respectability. Another career year could possibly make Cousins one of the highest-paid players in the NFL.

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the mothers out there!

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