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Jalon Daniels call is mom to the stage after big win
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers celebrated a massive victory on Thursday Night Football, but for rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels, it was a literal dream come true. Just moments after securing his first career NFL win, Daniels went viral when he pulled his biggest cheerleader—his mother, Star—onto the live postgame set to share the spotlight.
TAMPA, Fla. - The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won a primetime victory against the Dallas Cowboys on Thursday night, but one of the most memorable moments of the evening happened after the final whistle blew.
The post-game moment
The backstory:
As rookie quarterback Jalon Daniels sat on the Thursday Night Football (TNF) Amazon Prime post-game set, Daniels leaned into his microphone and called out to someone standing in the wings: "Ma, come here! Ma, come here!"
Standing just off-stage was his mother, Star Daniels, who had traveled from California to Texas to watch her son play at AT&T Stadium.
"I didn't even realize what he was saying to me. And then I got a little shove from behind, like, 'Hey, he's telling you to come up there.' And I'm like, 'Wait, me? I'm getting ready to go up on stage!' But sitting next to him during this big time, I mean, I don't even have words for that moment," Star told FOX 13. "You know, a lot of times, especially with teenage kids, the kids want the parents far away. And as they get older, they start to gravitate more toward having their parents there. And to want me there at a moment where he's supposed to shine -- that was just, I mean, it was the most amazing feeling ever."
Once on set, Star was handed the microphone, admitting she was both speechless and bursting with pride for her son.
From the standpoint of the stands
What we know:
Watching Jalon on the field was an emotional ride for Star, who admitted her nerves fluctuated wildly throughout four quarters.
"They probably caught that on camera, too," Star laughed. "I was sitting there literally biting my nails, and then there's other moments where I'm just very calm, eating my nachos, and just enjoying, watching this team fight out there on the field for that first win of the season."
She jokes she’s also still learning about the sport itself.
"I know he's been playing football for so long, but I'm still learning parts of football every single game. So I'm watching different things happen in there," Star said. "The people around me are talking about these different routes that have been thrown, and I'm just saying, ‘Oh my gosh, somebody caught the ball! Like this is awesome!’"
Mom strength
Dig deeper:
The Daniels’ family made the trip from California to Arlington, Texas for Thursday’s game.
They know the primetime win was years of hard work in the making – both for Jalon and Star, who worked multiple jobs to support her son.
"To me, it wasn't a sacrifice. It was just a mom being a mom," Star said. "My son decided that he wanted to play football. I saw that fire in his eye when he played football, and I just wanted to make sure that he got to fulfill his dream of doing what he loves."
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Today, Jalon pays homage to his mother through his non-profit organization, the Mom2JD6 Foundation -- a name Jalon affectionately adapted from his mother's email address. The foundation helps ease the financial burden for single mothers by covering league fees, uniforms, and equipment costs, so their children can participate in youth sports.
"Everything that I've done, I would do over again -- times three -- if I needed to," Star said. "Just to see that smile that I saw last night."
The Source: Information for this story came from the Buccaneers' new rookie starting QB's mom: Star Daniels.