“Honor her for all that her hands have done, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.” Proverbs 31:31. Mothers are not only the backbones of our NFL families, they are also the inspiration that drives our players to greatness. Look at Randi Mahomes, who has been rooting for Patrick all his career. Or how about Puka Nacua’s mom, who raised her kids single-handedly after their dad passed away? As Mother’s Day comes around, the NFL community gears up to celebrate this unbreakable bond. But for a lot of the veterans, this day is a little bittersweet.

A lot of players are taking the time today to connect with their mothers and spend time with them. Jason and Travis Kelce even invited their mom, Donna Kelce, on their podcast, New Heights, this week as a tribute to her before Mother’s Day. But while all this love poured in, there were also stars who gave tributes to their moms who were no longer with them.

Sean Payton, Denver Broncos HC, took to X to celebrate and remember his mother, Jeanne Payton. The post featured a young Sean Payton, proudly wearing his No. 18 uniform from back in the day. His mother is smiling widely by his side, visibly proud. Payton wrote: “Happy Mothers Day – Jeanne Alice Payton – 9/5/1928 – 10/18/02 – And to everyone else’s Mom.” Back when Sean Payton announced his retirement in 2022, he talked about his mom and said, “Her and my dad are both passed away. But, they’d talk all the time about like leaving a place, maybe better than when you got there to begin with. And I think we’ve done that. And it’s not finished.” It is this mission that has urged him to come out of retirement and take the helm for the Broncos. And Payton is not alone in remembering his mother on this day.

Dak Prescott, Cowboys QB, also remembered his mother on this day. Prescott shared a series of pictures featuring his fiancée, Sarah Jane Ramos, with their daughter. While Dak Prescott celebrates his new and growing family, he’s also remembering the woman who made it all possible. Dak Prescott also shared a story with a picture of his younger self, wearing the no. 6, hugging his mom, Peggy Prescott. In the picture, Peggy is proudly wearing a “BUC MOM” t-shirt. Prescott’s words in the story, “Always Celebrating YOU ❤  I love you and Miss you so Much, Mama !!!” hit right at the heartstrings. After battling with colon cancer, Peggy passed away back in 2013. And Dak Prescott’s not alone either.

Derrick Harmon, a first-round pick for the Steelers, lost his mother just hours after being drafted in April. After being drafted, he went to the hospital to visit his mom, who was on life support. It was after this that she passed away. “Happy Mother’s Day, ma ❤ I didn’t think today would be this hard on me, but it’s bad,” Harmon took to Instagram to share a story with these words, and a picture of a young Harmon with his mom. And our heart goes out to him.

As these stars remember their mothers on this day, the other half of the NFL world is celebrating the connection that still exists. They are making their moments count as they also celebrate their pillars of support.

NFL community comes together for Mother’s Day

While the stars remembered their mothers on this special day, the rest of the NFL community wasn’t that far behind. Julian Edelman took to X to share a few pictures of his mother, Angela Edelman, spending time with the family. Edelman wrote: “Happy Mother’s Day to the woman who kept always keeps our crazy little family in line. Moms are the back bone of any family, the Edelmans included. Love ya Mom!” DeAndre Hopkins, Ravens WR, took to IG to share stories featuring his mom, Sabrina Greenlee. No words were necessary for Hopkins with his tribute to his mom. Sabrina raised Hopkins and his siblings all by herself as Hopkins’ dad passed away at a very young age.

Savion Williams, Packers WR, also shared his love with a collage featuring his wife, daughter, and mother. His words? “Happy mother’s day to my loves.” The Packers’ IG page also featured a carousel of some of their players with their mothers. They captioned the post, “Happy Mother’s Day to all the moms and mother figures out there!” But while most of the world was busy posting shoutouts, Holly Campbell, wife of Detroit HC Dan Campbell, took a different route. She chose to start the day with a Starbucks coffee with a short “Happy Mother’s Day!” scribbled on the cup.

As Donna Kelce says, what mothers want on this day more than anything else is time. Time with their families and loved ones. So, folks, if you’ve got a mother who is still there with you, do not waste this time. Go out, spend some quality time with her, and make them feel loved. Because it is these small and precious moments that will stay with you throughout your life, and theirs too. Happy Mother’s Day, folks.