In the high-stakes world of professional football, it’s not uncommon for athletes to have a support system that helps them navigate the pressures and pitfalls of fame. But for the Philadelphia Eagles TE Grant Calcaterra, that support system begins and ends with his mom and dad. From his ‘First-team All-Big 12’ days to signing a four-year contract with the Eagles worth $3,834,144 in 2022, they have always been there with him.

Calcaterra has played college football for Oklahoma and SMU Mustangs football when he attended the m respective colleges. And no wonder he earned a name on the list of First-team All-Big 12 in 2018 and Second-team All-AAC in his last year of college. After one year, a kid who used to play in the backyard of his home in DeKalb County started playing in the NFL, which was also a big moment for his parent.

Who are Chris and Diane Calcaterra?

If we talk about Grant’s mom, her name is Diane, and she lives on the Noble-DeKalb county line. A homemaker and mother of four, Diane Calcaterra lives a happy life watching her son play in the big leagues. She was a sportsperson also in her school and college days. She loved to be on track and field and once held the record for 400 meters. And you would be shocked to know what she had achieved apart from this- Miss DeKalb County and Miss Northeast. A mother of four who used to live at her dad’s home in DeKalb County and suffered five miscarriages before Grant was born. And yes, Grant Calcaterra is a triplet.

Grant’s father’s name is Chris Calcaterra. He also used to play sports when he was young. He has sacrificed a lot to bring him into sports. It was Chris Calcaterra’s dream that he wanted all his children to play sports. And surprisingly, all three siblings of Grant have played their respective favorite sports in school and college.

How have Grant Calcaterra’s parents influenced the athlete’s NFL career?

Grant Calcaterra belongs to a pleasant, quiet place in DeKalb County. One of the most inspiring people who influenced Grant’s life was not his mom and dad, but his grandfather, Jim Stahl. And apart from him, Grant’s father, Chris, has a love for sports. Talking about how he changed Grant and his siblings’ thinking about sports, Chris Calcaterra shared a unique theory. He said, “It was like the Velcro theory. Just throw everything at ’em and see which ones stick.” But as we know, Grant picked up football. Chris and Diane were so hardworking, they used to visit recruiters for his admission. Grant’s parents also recalled when they visited Lincoln Riley‘s office.

He excelled so much in the game that, when Grant was at Santa Margarita Catholic High School, ESPN named him as a rank #2 tight end among school kids. Diane also recalls about Grant’s childhood. “Football really stood out for him. It was the most time-consuming practice, but he never complained about going.” She continued, “He loved it. He was obviously very talented, and it was the one practice that he really enjoyed, so it became the obvious choice to focus on that in high school.” And apart from his mom, Grant Calcaterra’s school teacher also says that Grant’s work ethic was unbelievable. She used to say, “Grant just had something special about him.”

The tight end has done an exceptional level of hard work to get to the place where he is right now. Chris and Diane sacrificed everything to watch him play in the NFL… and their struggle has paid off.