The Pro Bowl career of Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb, now a nine-year NFL veteran, almost didn't happen - because his parents weren't sure they wanted him to play football.
Every fall, millions of youngsters across the United States decide to play organized football - or, more accurately, their parents give them permission to play. For some it's an easy decision, for others not as much.
For the select group that ends up playing at the college level and in the NFL, the decision looks, in retrospect like a no-brainer. But, there are factors to consider, such as the game's contact and potential for injury, which every parent considers.
McNabb's mother, Wilma, president of the Professional Football Players Mothers Association recalled her son's early years.
"Donovan played all sports. I was going to the baseball field because he was a pitcher, he played volleyball one year, and he ran track, so Donovan was an athlete. My older son, Sean, played football and he was a bigger guy, he played tight end. So when they came wanting Donovan to play I said ‘He's too little, he can't play,' but the coach kept asking and finally we let him. Injuries were the primary concern. I didn't want him getting hurt and I thought he couldn't handle those hits."
Fortunately for Eagles fans, football turned out to be a perfect fit for McNabb.
Detroit Lions Wide receiver Calvin Johnson, the second overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, was not allowed to play football until he was in middle school.
"Calvin played baseball since he was four," said his mother, Dr. Arica Johnson. "I told him he was not going to play football until middle school. Then when he was in high school, he was playing football, baseball and basketball. I told him he had to boil it down to two and he picked football."
For many parents, academics are the final determining factor, which the Johnson family was vigilant about.
"I tell all parents," said Dr. Johnson, "if the child is not being successful in the classroom, they don't need to play ball. If they have the passion to play ball, they're going to do well in the classroom. Calvin couldn't play if his grades didn't stay up. That was a rule."
While most youth players won't end up in the NFL, there are still many options to weigh at every level, and at the end of the day, what mom and dad say goes.
