“Ever since I was a little kid, it’s been a dream to come out here and play in the NFL and play on the highest stage possible.” – Brenden Schooler’s childhood dream has turned into a reality thanks to the New England Patriots signing him as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He couldn’t have achieved this without the right resources and support, and he has his family to thank for most of it.

It always becomes a bit easier for an athlete trying to make it at the professional level when his family has a sports background. Both Brenden and his brother, Colin, had the passion, but to have the right environment at home to foster and nurture the talent is a privilege. Brenden is lucky to have parents who understand what it would take to succeed.

Who is Brenden’s mom, Christine?

Christine Schooler, Brenden’s mom, is a neonatal nurse at St. David’s Round Rock Medical Center. But what’s interesting is that she used to play volleyball at California State University. We will see later how Brenden’s father is still involved in sports. In such a household, it just makes it easier to stay on the path and not stray in terms of diet, workout, or training.

We even see Christine having a knack for cycling. She would have obviously passed on these good habits to her sons and her inputs as a nurse in terms of fitness and health would have done Brenden and Colin a world of good in their struggles.

Christine has been married since August 1996 to Brenden’s dad, Tom. If there is one person whose support for Brenden Schooler’s sports journey has been unparalleled, it’s Tom.

Who is Tom Schooler, Brenden’s dad?

Tom Schooler is a high school coach, who was associated with St. Michael’s Academy, Texas, the last we heard. Before that, Tom also used to play football at Eastern Michigan. Having decades of experience, he has been able to give his son a head-start in the technicalities of the game.

Also, being a sportsperson himself, he knows how a football player only wants to play. So, when the USA was gripped with COVID and most programs were shut down, including Brenden’s Oregon, Tom backed Brenden’s push for a transfer so that he could sneak in some more playing experience on his resume before the NFL draft. Tom’s life philosophy has always been about making use of the chance we get: “I’m just trying to remind the boys, you know, take all this in. Because this is an incredible thing for you guys to be able to do. Don’t waste this adventure.”

Brenden Schooler holds his father’s word close to his heart and has been applying his father’s mantra wherever he can. Brenden has traveled a lot across his football journey, but one thing hasn’t changed, his ability to learn.

Where did Brenden grow up?

Brenden grew up in Dana Point, California. He was in Oregon for 3 years from 2016 to 2019, playing as a wide receiver and a safety. Although he did transfer to Arizona, the onset of COVID and the subsequent cancellation of the PAC-12 Conference forced him to transfer to Texas.

For Brendan, it was about being productive with the time you have: “I have to do what’s best for me at the end of the day … As much as people wanna say we’re a family and all that, you have coaches leaving schools all the time. You have players leaving schools to better themselves. Because at the end of the day, you’ve got to take care of yourself. You can’t really sacrifice your well-being or your future for a school.”

When his college shut down during COVID, Brenden had to come back home. But he didn’t waste his time. He was in his parents’ garage lifting weights and training, staying ready for the action.

Brenden has the will to succeed, and the humility to learn from the best. He knows he is surrounded by a legendary coaching staff at the New England Patriots, like Special teams coordinator Cam Achord and his assistant Joe Houston. So when they teach, he listens: “When they start talking you just put the pen down and just listen to what they have to say, because what they have to say is probably the right thing.”