Any parent with multiple children will tell you that every child is different and that includes falling in love with football. 

My older son Bradley, now 12, basically grew up on a football field. When I was the radio announcer of the Arena Football League’s New York Dragons, I took Bradley to practice with me from the time he was a baby to when he was running around with the players after practice.

In the case of Jared, the passion and love for football took a little longer to come out. He’s now eight years old and is getting ready for his second season of flag football. He is now a football aficionado and you would’ve never seen this coming say, a year and a half or two years ago. Jared can’t wait for his season to start. He loves watching his beloved Jets and is an avid Madden player – the video game that played a role in his love for football.

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Jared always went to Bradley’s football games and somewhat watched, but always seemed to want to play with the other siblings. When we went to Jets games, he generally showed little interest in what was going on, but a couple of years ago that started to change. Out of nowhere, he asked my wife Sheryl and I if he could try tackle football. He didn’t like wearing the equipment and was not comfortable with the contact, so flag football was the way to go.

He loves it and has expressed an interest in trying tackle again next year.  We’ll see what happens, but two years ago Jared couldn’t tell you five players on the Jets. Now, he can tell you the whole roster….and he knows players around the league. He’s so pumped for flag football that every time we’re in a sporting goods store, he’s looking around at the football gear to see if there’s anything he’ll need (accessory shopping is something he’s learned from his older brother!)

Jared is officially a football junkie!

When Bradley was playing earlier this summer in USA Football’s Middle School Bowl Series in Canton, Ohio, Jared was so excited and watched every snap. He was predicting play calls and cheered on his brother’s team the whole game. After the game, we went to the Hall of Fame and Jared was so pumped up. He wanted to go back to exhibits he remembered seeing on our vacation there last year.

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During our annual visit to Jets training camp this summer, Jared watched all of practice and loved meeting the players and getting autographs.  You had to see the look on his face when he got Sam Darnold’s autograph! Just a couple of years ago, he didn’t want to get his ball autographed, so I had to do it. 

It took a while, but Jared now understands the x’s and o’s of football and sometimes my wife and I look at each other and wonder how this happened. But we are a football family and it was just a matter of time before Jared developed a passion and a love for football.

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Every child is different. Sometimes it takes a little longer for that love of the game to develop.

Peter is a sports anchor for the CBS Sports Radio Network, FOX News Headlines 24/7 and WCBS 880 Radio in New York.  His son Bradley will be playing middle school football on Long Island this fall while his younger son Jared plays flag football.   Peter, his wife Sheryl and the boys are busy cheering on the New York Jets when they’re not at a youth football field.