Some pro football players stand out from the crowd

With over 300 sets of brothers who have played football in the NFL, how do you decide who is truly special and deserving of recognition? One way is to look into who these players are off both on and off the field.  There are seven sets of brothers who have had the opportunity to be teammates in the NFL Pro Bowl game that is held in Hawaii every year.  Tiki and Ronde Barber have the distinction as the only set of twins to play together in that game.  Brothers being able to play one of the most intense sports with each another is really an awesome opportunity.  These families' lives are tied up in athletics and it has paid off for many families.

Eli and Peyton Manning are a big brother little brother pair who recently went head to head as opposing quarterbacks.  This was the first NFL game to showcase this type of competition.  Coming from a family with a strong athletic background, there have been plenty of comparisons made between the two brothers and even their father, Archie Manning.  Even though Peyton is older and more mature in his game, Eli is well known for his 4^th quarter grit and stamina to the end.  Father Manning had a lackluster career after playing college ball but many believe his potential reached far beyond what he accomplished. This is perhaps seen through his children.  His son Peyton has made a name for himself through leadership and star quality both on an off the field.  Younger brother Eli is also maturing in this area and shows as much or more promise than Peyton.  The Manning brothers are classy that many pro football players could learn from.

Tiki Barber has really had to work harder than most to become noticed in football.  Even though he played football very well in college, the NFL recruiters told him he was too small and not substantial enough to enter the pro league.  He fought to prove them wrong and won his case through his ability, hard work, and single-minded purpose.  He has shown that one's success rides not just on size but on determination.  Both twins, Tiki and Ronde, were born undersized and weak but this proved to only fuel the brothers resolve.  They have both made it to the pros and are now conquering other dreams.  They have scripted several childrens books in the last several years that focus on encouraging kids to stick to their dreams and reach for the stars.  What a good lesson these men have modeled for children all over the world.

Tiki and Ronde Barber, twin pro football players, have been able to play against one another in several games in the past.  Ronde is on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' team and Tiki is a teammate to Eli Manning in New York for the Giants.  Thing have only gotten better and better for these siblings.  College bowl games were a huge motivation for the Barbers at one time but now they have opportunities open to them that they only imagined in the past.  In February of 2005 they were teammates at the NFL Pro Bowl in Hawaii.  Now Tiki is planning to retire after this season move into broadcasting.  Ronde has already signed an extension to play ball for at least several more years.  Both brothers will be in the public eye for some years to come and will continue to wow the world with their class and charm.

Femi, who plays running back for the Arizona Cardinals, and younger brother Brendon, linebacker for the Chicago Bears, were both undrafted free agents at the beginning of their careers.  They were picked up by NFL coaches but it was a long while before they received the recognition that both deserve.  These brothers had a brief opportunity as teammates when the Miami Dolphins picked them up in 2003.  Since that time things have shifted and they are now on different teams.  They have been faced off against one another in their NFL careers only three times but Femi and Brendon aren't concerned about that.  They say that their relationship isn't dependent on wins.  Their relationship is the win.

Some pro football players stand out from the crowd.  Initially these brothers got some press because of their names.  Named Obafemi Devin and Oladele Brendon Ayanbadejo by their Irish mother and Nigerian father, the brothers now shine for reasons other than their unusual names.  NFL football hasn't been the same since Femi and Brendon have come on the scene.  Brendan Ayanbadejo is the definition of resolve since, he was all but ignored by college football recruiters after high school.  He proved himself despite that in the college league and then the NFL virtually ignored him as well.  Refusing to be put off, he kept trying to break into the professional football arena.  When three NFL football teams cut him, he decided to begin playing for the Canadian League and then the European League.  He has now come into his own and has received recognition through his current position with the Chicago Bears.  He was traded by the Dolphins in 2005 and has had a thrilling ride ever since.  Even though his older brother Femi was recognized and picked up by an NFL team more speedily than him, Brendon is as pleased for his brother as if it were happening for him.  These brothers live for the other one's success.