“They’re my motivation,” Patrick Mekari says about his parents. Clearly, the Baltimore Ravens OL’s current standings are largely due to the unwavering support of his mom, Carole, and dad, Tony Sr. Mekari.

Now in his fifth season with the Ravens, he has allegedly allowed just three quarterback hits over 591 snap counts. Mekari is also ranked as the 31st-rated tackle out of 83 on Pro Football Focus (PFF). And his parents have relentlessly supported him throughout the journey.

Mekari’s parents have profoundly shaped his NFL career by instilling in him and his sibling a strong work ethic, discipline, and solid values. His brothers, Jacob and Tony, also played football alongside him at the University of California, Berkeley, where Tony was a defensive tackle and nose guard.

During their college days, when Patrick and Tony played on the same team, their parents were there, cheering them on from the stands. It was a truly unforgettable event and the ultimate homage to the Mekari parents.

In a previous interview, the Ravens’ offensive lineman highlighted his parents’ efforts, revealing the challenges they faced to provide a better life for him and his siblings. “They sacrificed a lot. They served us growing up and sacrificed a lot to make sure we had the lives they wanted to give us,” Mekari shared.

He expressed his gratitude, emphasizing his desire to make his parents proud. “I interpret it as now it’s my time to serve them and give them back everything they gave me and more. They’re my motivation,” he added.

Patrick’s parents are both immigrants; while his father is from Lebanon, and his mother is from Iran. They are half Lebanese and half Armenian, and met in Los Angeles after immigrating from the Middle East during times of conflict in their respective countries to provide a better life for their children.

Earlier, the NFL OL also demonstrated his parent’s struggles to give him and his brothers a better life. “We were raised watching them go to work, have multiple jobs, and do all these things just to allow us to chase what we wanted to do.”

Undoubtedly, Patrick’s parents’ have left a significant impression on his children’s life, motivating them to flourish. “It was inspiring. They raised us to be tough, they raised us to be resilient. Whatever it takes, we just wanted to be the absolute best at what we do,” he had said previously.

Patrick Mekari’s parents’s sacrifices shaped his NFL career

Earlier, a video was released by the University of California’s Athletic Department featuring Tony Sr.’s harrowing experiences during wartime. “The things that they had to go through and sacrifice for us to have a good childhood were immeasurable,” Mekari said.

Allegedly, Patrick Mekari’s dad, Tony Sr., used to play football, but he had to give up his dream to work and support his mother and siblings. Before Patrick and his siblings walked onto the football field, their father expressed his expectations. According to the video, he always wanted to give them the chance, but he expected them to do their fair share as well.

When his elder brother, Tony Jr., joined the school, their dad became emotional, tears welling up in his eyes. “Being on the field, it was one of those moments that I literally broke down and cried,” Tony Sr. was seen saying in the university-produced video. When he was about to begin high school, he encouraged him to imagine that he is “getting paid $50,000 a year.”

Tony Sr. was ready to sacrifice everything, even sell all he had, to provide his sons with a better education. And he is incredibly happy that both of his sons took his advice to excel in life.

After signing a three-year contract extension with the Ravens in 2021, Patrick has proved his indomitable spirit, inherited from his father.