So my dad raised me, and he's a huge football fan.

My dad was able to give me everything through football.

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

When my first semester grades came out, my mom and dad told me I wouldn't be playing football.

I went to all of Dad's football games. As I got older, I got involved. He taught me everything I know about playing it.

My early memories of my dad were taking me to play football when I was six - they are happy ones. They are my favourites.

When Dad passed away, grandpa took on that mantle of teaching me how to tackle at football or taking me and mum to cricket.

My dad wanted me to play football so bad, he took me to Washington High School on the west side of Atlanta because they were number one. They never lost.

It was my dad who got me into football. One day, he surprised me playing in the garage. He thought I was a thief. I always played football when I was a kid.

I want my kids to be proud of their dad and not to go to school and hear abuse. One day they will read many things about me and I would like it to be about football.

I was enjoying my football, even though it wasn't really going well. That's when I said to my dad, who as a New Zealander was very keen on me playing cricket, that I would choose football.

I played baseball too, and flag football, but basketball was the easiest for me. Then when I was 12, my dad asked me what I wanted to do, and I said 'Be an NBA player.' Since then, he started training me.

He has nothing to do with me and football really. I don't see any need for us to start talking about football. Some players have relationships with their fathers where they talk football and get into arguments about it. It is something we have never done. It is just a natural thing, he is my dad and not my coach.

My dad showed me a football and would throw it up and have my dog - a German Shepherd - chase me around when I went after the ball. I caught it because I was scared of that dog. The next year, my dad talked to the commissioner of a local league and convinced him to let me play as a first grader with third graders.

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