It’s a given that wives of current NFL players and former NFL players have one thing in common: Our husbands have beat incredible odds to play football at the professional level. Only 0.218 percent of American men make it to the NFL.

Beyond that, though, we’re all about as diverse as fish in the sea, even though others might think differently. Here are some of the most common misconceptions that plague us all:

1. We’re all wealthy. Scott and I certainly aren’t living in the poorhouse, but we’re far from Park Avenue, too. It’s easy to see why people would think all NFL players – both former and current –are rolling in dough, what with images that the media presents and given NFL salaries these days. But looks can be deceiving. Let me break it down. Scott played nearly seven years in the NFL, but the average NFL career lasts only two years. Just two years! That means most players are done way before they hit 30. So in order to never have to work again, players must make enough to live off of for the next 60 years, which, for many players, is impossible. Players in Scott’s era (the ‘90s) made good money, but they simply did not make what players make currently. And even now, not all current players are millionaires. The bottom line is that we are careful about how we spend our money so that we can maintain the lifestyle to which we have become accustomed, which includes – but is not limited to – providing a roof over our heads complete with heat, air conditioning and high thread-count Egyptian cotton bed sheets, keeping our bathroom closet stocked with my arsenal of hair care products, supporting my addiction to Wheat Thins and Laughing Cow cheese and fulfilling our son’s incessant requests for Chinese takeout.
2. We employ hired help. I think the aforementioned answer covers this, but, to be clear, do we have a nanny, a chef or a maid? No, no, and no.
3. We spend our days lunching, manicuring and shopping. If by lunching you mean slapping together a PB&J in between diaper changes, and if by manicuring you mean wrestling a 35-pound toddler to the floor so you can cut his Edward-Scissorhand-fingernails, and if by shopping you mean trolling eBay while the kids are in bed … then, yes.
4. Our husbands have several kids … by other women. Scott has fathered two children, and they were both pushed out by yours truly. I have the pooch and saddlebags to prove it.
5. Our husbands are dumb jocks. For starters, have you seen an NFL playbook? It is easier to read the formula for cold fusion. (Okay, I’m totally exaggerating, here to make a point.) But seriously, Scott earned his bachelor’s degree in engineering from Purdue University before getting drafted, and upon retirement he earned a degree in culinary arts from the Arts Institute in New York City … after he received his teaching certification in the state of New Jersey. Nope, I didn’t just marry him for his brawn.
6. Our husbands are financially irresponsible. This is my absolute favorite stereotype to debunk. Yes, Scott made good money during his playing days. Yes, he traveled a lot and lived a very comfortable lifestyle. But he never owned a Mercedes, never lived in a mansion and never “made it rain.” He did, however, buy his mother a house, support his family financially, and fund a children’s foundation mostly out of his own pocket. He also paid his taxes, agents and other dues that are part and parcel with being a professional football player. Ask Scott if he could he have done some things differently, and he’ll tell you yes. But does he have any regrets? No.
7. We groom our sons to play professional football. I’m not going to lie: I would be proud if Scotty followed in Scott’s footsteps, but I also would be proud if Scotty decided to pursue a career in medicine, science or the arts. The bottom line is this: My son’s future does not hinge on whether he becomes a professional athlete. Yeah, we’ll probably put him in pee wee football within the next year or two, but as for setting our sights on the professional level? It’s not something I’m striving for – even though the chances of making it to the NFL nearly double for the sons of NFL players. Will Scotty feel pressure to become the third Conover to make it to the NFL? Perhaps. (Scott’s first cousin, Frank Conover, also was drafted to the NFL in the same year as Scott.) But that pressure won’t come from Scott or me. First and foremost, Scott and I want Scotty to be nothing short of passionate about what he does for a living. If that means playing football, then, so be it. But this issue doesn’t just affect our sons: One of Scott’s former teammates has a daughter who played offensive line – just like her father – while she was in high school. (Now how’s that for girl power?) He had to beg her to stop for fear that she’d end up getting hurt.

Courtney Conover is a mom of two and the wife of former Detroit Lions offensive lineman and current Heads Up Football Ambassador Scott Conover. She has more Legos and NFL memorabilia lying around her home than she knows what to do with. She is also a certified yoga instructor and a contributing writer to the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series. She blogs at The Brown Girl with Long Hairand over-shares on Facebook. Follow her here.