For an NFL player, football is usually the top priority, right? Wrong! For Big Joe, it isn’t football. Although Joe Tippmann is currently playing for the New York Jets as a center, his main priority is something else, a value instilled in him by his parents.

Born on March 24, 2001, to dad John Tippmann and mom Kimberly Tippmann, Joe is one of seven children. The couple shares one daughter and six sons, including Joe Tippmann. Although the parents supported Joe in his football journey, they made it clear that being a good person should be his priority. Talking about the same, Father John, clearly stated “that growing up in such a large family has helped Joe grow into a loving and helpful person.”

Hence, “the value of getting along with others” and being a good person overall were instilled by his parents, who wanted Joe to take up all these as his priority before football. Nevertheless, this built quality in him has helped Joe in his sports as well, making him a disciplined and hardworking player from a young age.

Besides these, Joe Tippmann’s parents showed their support in his football journey by visiting his schools “such as Notre Dame, Indiana, Purdue, Northwestern, Cincinnati, Western Michigan, Ball State, and Wisconsin, his final post-high school.” So, it all started with the day when Joe came running to his parents, showing them an envelope given by then-Bishop Dwenger head football coach Chris Svarczkopf.

His mom, Kim, who came to pick him up after the practice, opened the letter and found that it was “an invitation to a football camp at the University of Wisconsin.” And since then, according to Kim, Joe “had a change of heart. He began to put more time and effort into working out, lifting, doing speed and agility. Even after football practice, he would spend time doing extra stuff to better himself.” All that hard work paid off for him, when he was drafted by the Jets last year.

Joe Tippmann’s parents are happy to see their child in NFL!

After months of waiting and wondering, Joe Tippmann’s football dreams finally came true last year, on April 28. He was picked at 43 in round 2 by the Jets, making him the first center picked. However, before all that happened, as usual, there was a moment of silence and tension among the crew of Tippmann’s family and friends.

Joe was sitting with his family, heart racing, when his phone buzzed. It all happened when a New Jersey number popped up on the screen. And that was the time he knew it was him. Joe picked up the call, spoke with the Jets’ owner, general manager, and coach while his family sat around him, holding their breath. While recalling that nerve-wracking experience, Joe mentioned that he was “tearing up. It was truly a breathtaking moment.”

Nevertheless, as soon as he hung up the call and officially announced what had happened, the room exploded in cheers. His father, John Tippmann, also recalled the relief they all felt after such an anxious wait. He said, “The stress was gone” after hearing his name. Even his mom, Kim Tippmann too, agreed with it, adding that the celebration that followed was filled with love. She emotionally revisited the incident, saying, “All of his siblings, his grandma, everyone was in room with us, they were all hugging. And after that, he went outside the room we were in, and people came up to him — coaches from the past, aunts and uncles, cousins, friends — they went on grabbing pictures, hugging, and thanking each other.”

Well, with this emotional celebration, one can easily imagine the happiness for the Tippmann’s family!