Jacob Monk’s mother recalled his first-ever words: “Football.” He’s been visiting the field for so long that it was inevitable for him to find his way to the NFL. Thanks to his parents Chareen and Stanley Monk, who went out of their way to instill the Duke Football culture in their son.

In fact, he followed in his father’s footsteps and went on to play in his alma mater: Duke. It’s heartwarming to know that after all these years, Monk is continuing his father, Stanley Monk’s dream. So, what was his parents’ role in getting him a job at the Green Bay Packers?

Who are Jacob Monk’s parents?

Not a lot of information is available on his mother, Chareen. However, we know exactly how his father set him up for success. Stanley Monk played RB at Duke Blue Devils from ’84-’87. He became a UDFA after college and with luck, got drafted by the Dallas Cowboys. Hence, Jacob had an edge from the start and a knack for the sport at an early age.

Jacob was too big to play running back, so his father had to improvise and train him differently. “It’s a dream come true to walk on this field every Saturday,” Jacob told Duke’s publication. “I’ve been coming to games since I was five years old every year.” He got offers from many colleges after school but chose to go to Duke, a place he had been familiar with since childhood.

“Of course, my dad’s very happy that I came to Duke,” Monk said. “He told me to just keep going even in the hard times. Him and my mom are always there to talk to me and support me.” Stanley’s son taking the football lineage forward might just be the highlight reel of his life.

“I’m the biggest cheerleader for Duke … every Sunday I’m hoarse,” Stanley said in a Duke all-access program in 2021. “It takes me until Tuesday to get my voice back because I’m a fan of Duke, I’m a fan of football and I’m a fan of my son Jacob.” The Monk family and the Blue Devils go way back, obviously, so let’s sift through that relationship some more.

The Monk family and Duke’s relationship

Jacob recalled a light-hearted story about his child and this is where it all began for the 5-pound baby that turned out to be a six-foot-three center. “My mom always tells me that my first word was football,” Monk said of his mother, Chareen. “I don’t know how true that actually is but as far back as I can remember I’ve loved football.”

At 5, Monk was a regular at Duke games. At some point, that distant memory became a reality for him, and he found himself on the other side of the spectrum. All thanks to his parents taking him to the Brooks Field at the Wallace Wade Stadium.

Jacob Monk opened a new chapter of his life as he was about to graduate, and his childhood dreams had escalated into something larger than life. When asked what he’ll miss after graduating, Monk said, “Wallace Wade Stadium,” and “This is my last time I’m going to be suiting up and playing for them. It’s very emotional, but you just have to embrace it.”

Perhaps those words also carried his emotions from childhood, something that his parents curated so that he could live his best possible life.