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I attribute my entire football career, as far as getting me started, getting me interested, keeping me that way was my father. He went to every game even though he was crippled and wasn't real healthy.

I grew up trying to be like my idols, and one of the main people in my life was my father. He played football, and when your father is telling stories about the game he played... Everybody wants to be like their father.

My ultimate goal is for that next generation coming up, who didn't see me play, go, 'Oh, he used to play football?'

From when I was 7 until I was 22, I played football. That was always my struggle as a kid. I always wanted to be an artist, but my parents were divorced, and my dad really wanted me to play sports, and that's how I got to see him. He would come pick me up or take me to practice, and he was always at my games.

To say that my dad pushed me is an understatement. I was never naturally drawn to football.

My father was an all-American football player.

I always told my dad I'd play professional football.

Becoming a dad was the proudest moment of my life. Playing football does not even compare.

My dad was my first coach and drove me extremely hard from a very young age.

One of the first coaches I worked with on the national team told me that I was too skinny, too puny, and had no natural acceleration. He said I'd be better off looking for another facet of sport to follow. That was a really, really bad moment. For a long time, I felt as if my dad was the only one who had faith in me.