Being a pro athlete is a physically and mentally demanding career. Between working, social commitments, keeping your well-being intact and traveling across the country, your schedule is packed nearly 24/7.
Add in the responsibility that comes with being a parent, and an elite athlete’s plate is full.
But Baltimore Ravens kicker and veteran parent Justin Tucker has the experience juggling both jobs, and that’s given him the opportunity to share special moments with his 8-year-old son, Easton, as he grows up watching his dad play.
“Obviously, there’s schedules to manage and all that comes with being a professional athlete… But as far as our family is concerned, it’s dad first, and then football is just something that we all get to enjoy together,” Tucker says.
The future Hall of Famer has been at the pinnacle of the sport for over a decade, now playing in his 13th professional season.
Tucker says that when he became a parent, there was a shift in his mindset and priorities, that “I became We,” and that his wife, Amanda, and Easton are on his mind throughout the day alongside football.
“Figuring out how to navigate [your parental priorities] I think is a challenge for all parents, but [it’s also part] of this beautiful journey that any parent would probably agree is the coolest thing in the world,” Tucker says.
Tucker says that as a pro athlete, he’s been able to share a lot of unique and meaningful experiences with Easton, spending time together on the field during training camp and the offseason, shagging balls and playing catch, plus introducing Easton to the other Ravens, like MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson.
Things have also changed as Easton has grown up, with him becoming more invested in the games and a bigger fan of the team, which Tucker says makes everything even more fun to share. “I don’t even know if I’m my own son’s favorite player,” Tucker says with a laugh. “Him getting to meet the guys that he’s watched on TV and he’s cheering for, seeing his face light up when he just gets to shake hands with Lamar and take a picture, or getting to meet Mark Andrews and being in the locker room on Saturdays when some of the other kids just get to come and run around and stuff like that is really, really special.”
And while Tucker is on the experienced end of the professional athlete spectrum, Ravens Pro Bowl Fullback Patrick Ricard is experiencing his first season as a parent with the birth of his daughter, Emerson, in March.
Ricard says that during the offseason, he and his wife were taking turns spending time with Emerson, but it got trickier during Organized Team Activities (OTAs) as Ricard needed his sleep to perform well.
Ricard gave major credit to his wife…for taking care of Emerson throughout the night when he had team activities on his plate, but he acknowledged that during the season, they’ll have to explore what resources the team offers for parents to help make their lives easier.
“That’s why it’s going to be really rough during the season for my wife to continuously have to do that, but whenever I’m home from the day, it’s full dad mode,” Ricard says. “[But] we’re going to have to reach out to the team or teammates.”
Ricard’s situation differs from Tucker’s, as he says that he doesn’t see Emerson being old enough to remember much of his career but still hopes to leave a lasting impression of the value of hard work and sacrifice to achieve your goals.
Both Tucker and Ricard shared how celebrating Father’s Day this year made them think about their own fathers and father figures who had influenced them.
Ricard described his first Father’s Day as a full-circle moment of joining the ranks of fathers he looked up to in his life, while leading up to the holiday, Tucker reflected on what kind of parent he wanted to be.
“I’ll be thinking about my dad and all the other father figures and how they’ve impacted my life in such a significant way. And also be thinking about how I can continue to be a positive impact and a role model for my own son,” Tucker says.
