If you ask NFL Hall of Famer Warren Sapp what would be his biggest accomplishment since retiring, he wouldn’t have to look too far. The first on his list would be taking pride in helping his four children graduate college. “Dad’s just a spectator now. I’m a cheerleader now, I wear their colors and everything!” So, when it was the birthday of one of his most successful kids, Sapp celebrated with bells and whistles on.

We are talking about the oldest of the clan, Mercedes Sapp. She turned 26 today!

“I only wish I was still able to hold her like this!! @cedesapp Happy 27th birthday, captain! Do love you so much!! #ProudDad #SappNotFishing #DaddysMonster.” The picture shared by Sapp is equally pretty as the caption he wrote. Cuteness overload!

Mercedes dutifully shared her dad’s post on her Instagram story, writing, “I LOVE YOU, DAD,” in bold words followed by a heart.

Graduating with a Master’s degree in Science in Communication Management and eventually holding the role of Student-Athlete Enhancement Coordinator at the same university, Mercedes leads a non-credit certificate program alongside Lauren Hoselton, the CEO of Total NIL, and Jon Schwartz, a sports executive who held senior leadership roles with the Big Ten Conference, National Football League and NASCAR.

Open to the public, the course was initially launched by the University of South Florida in 2023 in collaboration with Total NIL. her primary responsibilities include personal identity development, values, wellbeing, NIL education, DEI, Personal Branding, and Finance.

A post shared by Warren Carlos Sapp (@warrensapp)

Mercedes was just 15 when her father was inducted into the Pro Hall of Fame in 2013. From being presented by his daughter while an unexpected but rousing “TAMPA – BAY” chant from both sides of Fawcett Stadium serenaded the event, Mercedes continues to be the loudest to cheer her father till today. Just take the last Colorado Buffs game against Utah State.

Mercedes Sapp is forever proud!

Choosing Warren Sapp for the Buffs was one of Deion Sanders’s greatest decisions this season. An example of his excellence was visible during the Buffs’ 49-24 victory over Utah State on Saturday, November 16th. A clip of this game went viral for all the good reasons. it was from the fourth quarter, right before the Buffs won.

The cameras captured a moment where Warren Sapp widened his eyes, telling his boys to pull out a smashing victory as they planned; however, his face said it all. his dedication to the program and his passion for this sport could all be seen on his face. even the color commentator didn’t miss out on this moment and said, “Look at his eyes, and you wonder why these kids are playing so hard.”

But the most heartwarming part of this incident came up when Sapp’s dearest daughter expressed pride in his dad’s wisdom. “Forever proud of you, dad.” Mercedes wrote in an Instagram story. besides that, Mercedes also walked in his father’s footsteps by developing an early knack for sports. She started her career goalkeeping career at the Lake Highlands Preparatory School in Orlando, and now she’s the captain of her team, which makes Warren Sapp the proudest dad.