“Don’t ever let someone tell you, you can’t do something. Not even me. You got a dream, you got to protect it. People can’t do something themselves, they want to tell you you can’t do it. You want something, go get it. Period.” That’s what Will Smith taught his on-screen son, Jaden Smith, in the movie The Pursuit of Happyness. Former Bucs WR Jaelon Darden‘s parents raised him with a similar mantra.

A hardworking dad and a loving, caring mom, always encouraging him to push his limits, made Jaelon Darden who he is today.

Who is Jaelon Darden’s mother?

Tamishe Darden, like any other mom, wants her children to be successful in life. That’s why she always pushed Jaelon to work harder and be great at whatever he did. Tamishe, a school bus driver, taught Jaelon how to handle and grow from ‘tough love.’ Which means she had already prepared him to handle the kind of motivational push that combines strictness with care. When you’re in a big league like the NFL, it’s not a bed of roses, there’s a lot you have to deal with. Coaches, management, teammates, and even fans can throw direct criticism your way.

Tamishe would start her day at 3 a.m. to catch a city bus that would take her to the school bus she drove. Besides Jaelon, she has a younger son named Jamal Gould. Sadly, the WR’s little brother suffers from asthma. Despite all the struggles, she made sure to raise her children with strong values and ethics. That’s where Jaelon’s work ethic comes from. Ask anyone on the Bucs (his former) team, and one of the qualities they would mention about him is his ‘work ethic.’

Jaelon has mentioned a couple of times that his mom had to be tough on him since his dad didn’t know much about football. Tamishe wanted her son to stay focused and give 100 percent to his football career.

Who is the Browns WR’s father?

Manya Darden was the kind of person who could light up a dark room with his positive smile. Jaelon Darden’s dad would always make everyone laugh and took a lot of pride in both his sons. Manya made sure that Jaelon never missed out on his football camps and leagues. Both his parents would show up at the field every time he played, cheering him on during his school and college years.

But one day, dark clouds hovered over the happy Darden family when his father passed away after suffering a heart attack during surgery in 2020. Manya’s passing took a heavy mental toll on the family, especially Jaelon, since he was quite close to his dad. His dad was his biggest inspiration, and he never got to see his son play in the NFL.

After his dad passed away, he didn’t stop, he kept putting in even more hard work into his game. The next year, the Bucs signed him to a four-year deal. When asked how his dad would have felt about him making it to the NFL, the 25-year-old said, “he would just be crying right now.” The Bucs waived Jaelon in 2022, and he soon found a new home with the Browns. And the WR’s all set to make waves at his new home.