There’s nothing football fans like more than an origin story and Kliff Kingsbury’s is more compelling than a Hail Mary. The Washington Commanders’ Offensive Coordinator guided rookie QB Jayden Daniels to a perfect first season, and he was brilliant in the win over the Lions, going 22-of-31 passing for 299 yards, 2 touchdowns, and no interceptions to go with 15 carries for 52 rushing yards. But behind the man making NFL play calls are two parents who can be seen when Kingsbury hits the field.

Kliff’s life is one of the winning scripts, but the chapters his parents wrote are the best. From the New Braunfels, Texas hometown, his dad coached him in high school to his mom’s long history that keeps him going, the Kingsburys are proof that “football is family“.

Who is Kliff Kingsbury’s mom?

Kliff Kingsbury’s star is his mom, Sally Kingsbury. Sally was a former government education officer and aerobics teacher. She was captain of the Strutters dance team at Southwest Texas State University and a Lyndon B. Johnson Scholar in school. Sally’s adroit intellect and poise ruled the household.

“She was my biggest cheerleader and role model,” Kliff once said about her unconditional love. Sally never stopped looking her best even as she battled cancer in the early 2000s. “On her worst days, she gave us her best,” is how Kliff recalled her determination. Sadly, Sally died in 2005, but she lives on in her son’s irrefutable hope. “Still the hardest thing I’ve ever been through,” Kliff told the Los Angeles Times in December, “and nothing will ever touch that.”

“To have such an incredible woman, person, be our mom, she helped us live our lives in the exact way we wanted to,” Kliff said. “She was always very supportive of us chasing our dreams.” Sally’s caring demeanor was a contrast to her husband, Tim’s more disciplined approach. No matter how good he was at school (third in his high-school class) or athletic on the football field, Sally’s admiration for her son was limitless. And she taught Kliff something he still remembers: “Don’t let life’s challenges take away your joy.”

“My mom’s my biggest motivation,” Kliff said, reflecting on her influence during his time with the Arizona Cardinals. And his dad? “He’s the reason I fell in love with the game.”

Who is the OC’s dad?

Tim Kingsbury is a Vietnam War veteran and Purple Heart recipient whose life has been an exercise in toughness and hard work. “Respect and understanding—those are two things my dad taught me,” Kliff once reiterated the values he picked up from the man who coached him at New Braunfels High School.

Kliff led New Braunfels to the Class 5A Division II semifinals and threw for more than 3,000 yards in his senior season. “He was hard on me, but it prepared me for the NFL and life, ” Kliff said. And so, surprisingly, Tim’s style still speaks to his son, who now runs offenses on the world stage.

Tim’s influence didn’t end at the laboratory. He was an enthusiastic schoolteacher, and Sally focused on school as much as sports. “Everything good my boys have, they got from Sally,” said humble Tim during Kliff’s NFL debut. As hard-loving as he is, Tim is proud of Kliff’s success.

Tim is that tough guy who Kliff projects off the sidelines, whether he’s talking about being a Marine or buying a Ford F-150 as the first person in the United States. And though he’s no longer calling the plays, Tim is Kliff’s number-one for football and life advice. Kliff Kingsbury’s journey from New Braunfels High School to NFL Offensive Coordinator is not just a football tale but a family one, too. Sally’s hysterical optimism and Tim’s steady discipline provided a script for success that Kliff has carried with him to each meeting.

Whether in football or in life, big plays come not only from great men but from people who make them happen. That stage, for Kliff Kingsbury, was made by Tim and Sally, two MVPs themselves.