Remember Super Bowl LI, when the Patriots overcame a 28-3 deficit to win in overtime? Yeah, you must have because who doesn’t remember Tom Brady pulling off the greatest-ever Super Bowl comeback the NFL will probably never witness again? But that wouldn’t have been possible without an unlikely superstar standing at right guard, Shaq Mason.

Although Mason joined the Houston Texans last year, he already has a lifetime of memories playing at NRG Stadium. As a Patriot, he made his childhood dream come true while his parents cheered for him up in the stands.

Who are Steve Mason and Alicia Maguire?

Well, there isn’t much information about Shaq Mason’s father, who goes by the name Steve Mason. However, his single mother, Alicia Maguire, looked after Mason, fulfilling the roles of both his estranged father and a loving mother. But McGuire never truly missed her husband because of the support system she had behind her. As revealed by her during an interview with The Daily Herald, “I had a good support system because my mother and father was greater. I had people helping me with babysitting. After I had him, my only focus was Shaq. I worked. I had to take care of my baby. It was heartbreaking to be away from him, because I was away a lot, working.”

Now, you could be wondering what McGuire used to do while Mason was growing up as a future Super Bowl Champion. Well, she was a debt collector when Mason still played college football. However, Alicia never urged Mason to work part-time, no matter how hard she needed to earn. But she had one condition. Mason had to bring good grades at Central so he didn’t have to focus elsewhere. As McGuire later added, “I told him many times, Make the grades, and I got you.”

Apart from sharing her thoughts on bringing up Mason as a single parent, Shaq Mason’s mother also spoke openly about her pride in watching his success in the NFL.

Shaq Mason’s parents share their pride in their son’s NFL success

One of those proudest moments for Shaq Mason’s family came in 2017 when Mason won his first Super Bowl with the Patriots. After the final whistle, McGuire’s first thoughts were, “It’s surreal to me because I was just raising my son on my own and watching his dreams come true. Nobody knows what it was like for me as a single mother.” She used to pray at all times so that her son never faced any trouble in his life, “Nobody knows what it’s like to constantly pray for your child and make sure everything is OK.”

Mason’s mother further added how she was so protective of him for his well-being: “It’s so, so easy for kids to get distracted these days. I taught him to be a leader instead of a follower. I did not let him hang with a lot of people. But it was only to protect him and make him the man he is today.” Well, all we can say is that McGuire was truly successful in her parenting methods. Because the former Patriots guard, who stood at 6-foot-1, didn’t only win one Super Bowl, he got his second in 2018.

Now, after spending more than 6 years in New England and a year in Tampa with Brady yet again. Mason is right now busy proving himself on a ground that made his mother proud.