My dad played for the NFL for 12 years and is a Hall of Famer. To me, he's just Dad.

The author's dad was an offensive lineman for the Los Angeles Rams.

Courtesy of the author

• My father was an NFL legend long before the era of massive salaries.
• Growing up, he balanced football with a second career and family life.
• To the world, he's a Hall of Famer, but to me, he's just my dad.

On the occasion of my father's 82nd birthday, I called him to wish him well. As we chatted, I told him about a social media post shared by his former team, the Los Angeles Rams.