Dad Says Good-Bye for a While

So you think you know the NFL? Think again. There are great dads in the league but you won’ t hear about them because they don’t leave scandals that titillate reporters looking for juicy stories to boost their careers. My buddy Benjamin Watson (below) sent me this photo as he was leaving for training to start the new season. He left his beautiful babies through tears and anguish, worrying what cost their dad’s separation might have for them.

He is not just a great dad, he is a good man. Benjamin and his wife homeschool their kids, talk to them about God and why He loves them. They do what they can to grow these beautiful four into strong, conscientious children who know right from wrong, good from bad and they teach them to love the Lord they follow. Life is rich for him and he knows it because even though he enjoys a handsome income and fends off fans who want his autograph, he knows what really matters in life: his faithful wife, four kids who adore him (and who could care less whether he wins or loses a game) and a God who calls him His son.

So the next time you flip on the tube and look for your NFL team, think about something. Beneath the colors of your favorite player’s jersey runs a man who is more likely filled with good character than bad will. There are more good men and great dads in the NFL and you need to see them because they have something more important than football to teach us. Yes, I said it. Many of these men are better at something more important than football:  being Dads.  So start paying less attention to the few ne’er-do-wells who make the news and watch for the good guys.  Over the season, I’ll tell you their stories because you need to hear them.

Why? Because we must see how these men use the talents they have that make them elite athletes: discipline, team-playing, taking advice from others, courage, tenacity, attention to detail, playing by the rules and always, always having someone else’s back, to be great Dads.

We’re not the only ones who need to study their character. Our country does. Just imagine if all dads used the talents that help them excel in their work to excel as fathers. If they did, we’d live in a different country. Maybe if we watch some of these NFL dads, like Benjamin, that just might happen.