Cleveland Browns drafted Michael (aka Mike) Hall Jr. in the 2024 NFL Draft. The 2nd round (54th overall) pick is known for his colossal size. Fuelled by his drive to succeed in football, the big boy ate several dagwood sandwiches and medium-rare ribeye steaks to bulk up. However, when he got selected for Ohio State, his mother, Lynda Hall, bought his favorite meal, a Tomahawk steak. It was her way of celebrating this moment of success. Indeed, she saw her young boy achieve his lifelong dream.

Since his childhood, she knew her boy was special. As an 8-month-old toddler, he would open a refrigerator to take out the milk. In his teens, he towered over full-grown men with a well-built physique. But doubts cropped in her mind now and then if he would make it. The family didn’t have the resources or know-how of a player’s career trajectory. Yet she wasn’t the one to give up and never let her son give up hope.

Knowing that results matter, her only advice was to focus on winning. She wasn’t sure if he would have a football career, but he followed her advice and the rest is history. In 2021, he graduated from Streetsboro High School as a 4-star DT, with a 54th national ranking in overall players. When he was confused about collegiate offers, she took it upon herself to help him like a manager. The athlete was getting mail and texts from different coaches to join them. But the paradox of choice was hard to handle for the young man.

While he dreamt of a day like this, he didn’t know the stress that comes with it. Lynda understood her son’s feelings and said, “If you could only imagine. Two words are amazing and stressful. Amazing being able to see your child live out his childhood dreams, stressful not knowing how the process works and who to trust and who not to trust.” She wrote down every question she could think of and personally talked to every coach. In the end, coaches Ryan Day and Larry Johnson impressed her enough to send the DT to play for Ohio State (in 2021).

While everyone has told her that her son has a brilliant future, she knows he can be mischievous.

When Michael Hall Jr. did an epic April Fool’s Prank

On April 1, 2020, she started receiving phone calls on her phone. Everyone asked her why she hid the great news. Initially confused, she subsequently found out that Michael posted on social media that he was moving to the IMG Academy in Florida and would pass out from there. Though she got angry with him, her turn to laugh came very soon when the April fool joke flipped on Mike.

DT didn’t know that one of his friends was attending IMG Academy and had told his coach about the athlete. Impressed with his talent, the coach even offered a full scholarship to him. Lynda wanted to send him to Florida as this offer gave them a rare chance to train in the best conditions, but the DT didn’t want to move. He even begged her to let go of the offer.

With a promising NFL career ahead, Michael Hall Jr. (and Lynda) understands how far they have come on their journey. While the path to greatness is long and full of obstacles, focus is the key. After all, winning matters everywhere, be it gridiron or life.