Sunday is a special day across the country as mothers are honored with their own day. It is no different for the players on the Jacksonville Jaguars roster. Several players have plans of flying across the country to see their mothers, delivering special gifts; others will be sending flowers, while several will remember the person who raised them. In some shape or fashion, they will all be paying their respects.
Here are several of the players' thoughts on their mother and Mother's Day.
"My mom is a great mom and a great grandmother; well not a great grandmother. She's a good grandmother, she's not a great grandmother yet. That would be kind of weird because my kids are two. She taught me how to love and that I should always have clean underwear on. If you get in an accident you always want to make sure you have clean underwear on. There is not enough money in the world to repay your mom. If you took Maurice's contract and David's contract and Torry Holt's contract, you still wouldn't have enough money to be able to give your mom back everything she gave you. She gave you her heart. They say that moms hold their child's hand for a little while but they hold their hearts forever. It's true. You will always love your mom no matter how old you get, no matter where you go and what you do. You will always love your mom. I always read those funny stories like the bologna casserole story or the squirrels on the birdfeeder story that my mom still can't stand; just random funny stories that you have, like my mom bowling which is always funny to see. It's not a pretty sight. There are always those funny stories and memories that you will have. When you have kids and you get to see your mom become a grandma that is so cool. You see a whole other side of it. You remember the discipline and the hard times, the good times and the laughter with your mom. When you see her hold your own kid and laugh and play with them, giggle and get on the floor, it's so neat to see that go on. No longer do they have to discipline or get upset. It's not their child. They rile them up, give them candy and give them back to you, which is what grandparents are supposed to do. I have to talk to someone about that because I didn't get the memo about grandparents doing the stuff. It's also great to see your wife become a mom and pour out all that love into two little kids, especially my wife. She is a darn good mom." -- Long snapper Joe Zelenka (Linda)
"Mother's Day means a lot to me. With the passing of my mother, I've had to really reflect on that day and make sure to devote all the time I can to my wife. She always gets the honor of Mother's Day. We're parents now, and it does mean a lot because I want my son to be able to see that through his dad, so it carries on through him. This weekend we plan to go to Atlanta to be with some friends, and on Mother's Day we'll go to Sawgrass for The Players Championship. My wife has asked me to not do too much so I think the plan will be The Players, a little chocolate, a card and dinner." -- Quarterback David Garrard (late Shirley Ann)
"I am just so thankful for all the things she did for me growing up. Really there shouldn't be just one day to be thankful for your mom. With me being so far away, the time I get to spend with her I try to cherish it as much as possible. There is nothing I can do to really repay her for what she did." -- Tight end Greg Estandia (Linda)
"Some of the things that I wanted to do as a kid I didn't understand that we weren't able to do financially. It could be me going out and hanging with my buddies, going to the movies. I used to always see my mom empty everything out of her purse and turn it upside down just to get the last little bit of change so I could go somewhere and have a good time. I know I can never repay her. Anything that is stressing her out or is bothering her I can make it a little bit easier for her. I try as hard as I can." -- Linebacker Clint Ingram (Murline)
"She is my everything. She is the reason I am here where I'm at. She is the reason I'm standing and the reason I'm alive. You try to give her all the money you can give her to repay her. You make sure her life is as comfortable as possible because I remember when we didn't have anything. My mom made sure we had when we didn't have. I try to make sure she is taken care of now. Anything she asks from me, I don't hesitate. I do it." -- Defensive end Quentin Groves (Barbara)
"Mother's Day is a time to cherish your mother. Without them, you wouldn't be where you are today. My mother's not here, but I'd like to wish all the mothers in the world a Happy Mother's Day!" -- Safety Reggie Nelson (late Mary Lakes)
"When I think about her, I think of the love and sacrifices she made for me to be here today. She put a whole lot to the side to make way for me. You can try to repay her but I can never do it. I try to do as much as I can for her when I can. I try to be there for her, call her a lot, rebuild the relationship. I am going to try and go see her this weekend." -- Defensive end Jeremy Mincey (Arva)
"It's a day to celebrate all of the mothers in the country. They are very important in everybody's lives, and they're the reason why we're here. I love my mom to death, and as a matter of a fact, I'm leaving right now to go see her. I got her a nice gift. It's probably the most expensive I've ever bought her, so I think she's going to be pretty excited. She hates it when I spend a lot of money sometimes, but I think it's going to put a smile on her face." -- Linebacker Justin Durant (Betty)
"I feel like every day should be Mother's Day with a phone call or a text message just to let my mom know how much she means to me. She's been there all my life, and she's very special to me. She's the strongest woman I know. I plan on sending her some roses, a nice card and a gift. Since I can't be there with her, I'll give her a phone call and tell her just exactly what she means to me. It's nice to let them know how much they mean to you every now and again because with our busy schedule, you don't get to see them as often as you want to." -- Linebacker Thomas Williams (Leslie)
"Mother's Day is a day to recognize how much your mother has done for you. My mom is in Michigan, so I can't be there with her, but I'll send her something nice and a card just to let her know how much she means to me." -- Linebacker Tim Shaw (Sharon)
"It means a lot to me, especially since my wife will be celebrating her second Mother's Day. My mom had 11 kids, so it was always a big celebration for my family. All of my brothers and sisters always got together and got a gift for my mom. It's a big deal, and it's a chance to show them appreciation for how much they do for us." -- Wide receiver Troy Williamson (Shirley)
"For me, it's Mother's Day every day. It's about showing mothers the appreciation you have for them and all the time and effort they put into raising their children. I plan on giving my mother and grandmother a call to let them know how much they mean to me. If I can, I'll fly home to see them." -- Running back Montell Owens (Dawn)
