In our journey from being sons to becoming fathers, they were the ones we admired the most.
They were the lucky ones, the blessed. They led lives that were kissed by angels and guided by starlight, and it seemed no ill could befall them.
They were the special ones.
They were the quarterbacks.
As a breed, the quarterbacks of the past two decades were a different cut of athlete. They were tough and talented, resolute and resilient, and the rest of us could not help but marvel at their gifts.
They were the guys with the good hair and the straight teeth and the infectious personality and the pretty girls and the cool cars. Most of all, they were the ones with that air of absolute invulnerability. It was as if they lived in the middle of the photograph, where all things are in focus and all lines are clear.
We watched what they did on the field, game after game, year after year, and we believed we had the measure of their greatness.
We were wrong. The greatness of the modern-day quarterback, it seems, happens behind closed doors.
As athletes, these guys were pretty good.
As fathers, they're better.
Boomer Esiason is on the telephone. He knows why you called.
"You want to talk about The Quarterback Curse," he says.
The words jolt you. Then again, the circumstances do, too.
How could it be? How could so many of America's best-known athletes, united by profession and position, all find themselves in the role of being fathers to special-needs children? What are the odds that men considered perfect specimens by so many could find themselves sharing the similar heartache of special-needs children?
Probably, you have heard some of their stories. You caught a sentence or two here or there. But it is the sheer numbers, the amazing coincidence, that will knock you over.
Gunnar Esiason, Boomer's 11-year old son, suffers from cystic fibrosis, a disease that leaves his lungs clogged. Esiason's foundation has raised more than $17-million to fight the disease.
Trevin Dilfer, the 5-year-old son of Seattle quarterback Trent, died in April from a heart virus. The disease hit Trevin five weeks earlier.
Hunter Kelly, the 6-year-old son of former Bills quarterback Jim, suffers from Krabbe's Disease, a rare disorder that was supposed to beat him years ago. Kelly's Foundation has raised millions.
Michael Marino, the 15-year-old son of ex-Dolphin quarterback Dan, is autistic. Marino has built the Dan Marino Center in Broward County to help find a cure.
Doug Flutie Jr., the 11-year-old son of Chargers quarterback Doug, also is autistic. The Doug Flutie Foundation has given away millions to families of children who had the disease.
Andrew Rypien, the 3-year-old son of former Redskins quarterback Mark, died of a brain tumor in 1998. Mark sacrificed a year of his career to be with him.
Zachary Warner, the 10-year adopted son of Rams quarterback Kurt, is blind. "He means the world to me," Kurt has said.
Danielle Gannon, the 6-year-old daughter of Raiders quarterback Rich, almost died as a baby from Celiac Disease, a genetic disorder that causes an intolerance to gluten. The Gannons work to raise awareness of the disease.
C.J. Schroeder, the 16-year old son of former Redskins quarterback Jay, had a life-threatening brain tumor 10 years ago. He has recovered.
Tyler Hostetler, the 12-year-old son of former Giants quarterback Jeff, is still recovering from an accident that broke his neck and left him paralyzed. He now plays Little League. Hostetler, too, took time off from the NFL to be with his son.
"Every one of us has a heartbreaking story," Esiason said. "It's a remarkable coincidence."
It was Boomer's wife, Cheryl, who referred to so many children of so many players as "The Quarterback Curse." Neither of the Esiasons, however, believes that.
"The thing I tell people all the time is this, and I think every other father would echo this," Esiason said. "We could never imagine our lives without these particular children in them. These children inspire us. We're the luckiest people in the world to have them."
That doesn't mean it isn't difficult. That's the lesson here. Not even men raised on cheers are immune to tears. They bleed, they suffer, like the rest of us.
At Michael Marino's second birthday party, he held his hands over his ears and screamed as well-wishers sang Happy Birthday. He would not blow out his cake. He sat silently most days, withdrawn. Now? He is mainstreamed in school, happy.
"The two of them look great together," Boomer said. "You see a proud son looking at his dad. Better than that, you see an extremely proud dad looking at his son."
Flutie knows that look. When Dougie was diagnosed with autism, Flutie has said, he faced denial, then confusion. Now, that has transformed into pride. "Having a child with special needs has put things into perspective for me," Flutie once said.
Hunter Kelly wasn't supposed to live past 14 months. He is 61/2 and has lived long enough to see his father go into the Hall of Fame. Still, Krabbe's Disease is cruel, and his prospects are not good.
"Every dad would tell you their hopes and dreams are that their children outlive them," Esiason said. "That they live long, fruitful lives. We all want that, too."
We have seen them do great things.
We have seen escapes and comebacks, touchdowns and showdowns. We have seen Sundays filled with their fire and grace, elegance and excellence.
Do you want memories? Of the 10 quarterbacks listed here, every one has been elected to the Pro Bowl. Nine have played in the Super Bowl, and the 10th, Flutie, was the MVP in three Grey Cups in the Canadian Football League. As a group they played in 14 Super Bowls, were elected to 30 Pro Bowls and played in 85 playoff games.
Do you want statistics? Together, they have thrown for more than a quarter-million yards, or 152 miles. They have totaled 1,668 touchdown passes.
Do you want moments? We have seen Marino throw for six touchdowns in a game. We have seen Esiason pass for 490 yards against the Rams. We have seen Kelly barrel through a Dolphin safety on the goal line on the last play of the game for a victory. We have seen Flutie throw his miracle pass against the Miami Hurricanes. We have seen Dilfer win a Super Bowl on the same field, Raymond James Stadium, where he was jeered.
Do you want greatness? Today, something better than football will occur.
Today, Boomer will take Gunnar to the golf course, and he'll feel his own problems melt away, and he'll clown and goof around with him. Today, Marino will return from a trip to Ireland, and he'll throw his arm around Michael. Maybe Flutie will take Doug Jr. to the park. Maybe Kelly will read Hunter a story. Maybe Dilfer will close his eyes and remember his sweet son.
Turns out, they are a resilient lot, after all. They are as tough and as strong and as passionate as we believed them to be. They are something to admire, after all. They are something to cheer.
