NFL Hall of Fame QB Jim Kelly shares parenting plays in new book

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (ANS) – NFL Hall of Fame Quarterback Jim Kelly shares fatherhood advice in his new book The Playbook for Dads - with Ted Kluck – (FaithWords/Hachette Book Group, September 2012).

Kelly, who spent 11 eleven seasons as quarterback of the Buffalo Bills, helped lead the team to the playoffs eight times, including four Super Bowls. The Kellys have shared Hunter's story all over the world and in Jill's book, Without a Word.

Relaying insider information on his toughest job, Kelly tackles 10 important lessons that fathers should be sharing with their children.

"Being a father is hard work," writes Kelly. "It's hard work just like being a quarterback was hard, relentless work … But I can honestly say that it's the greatest, most important job in the world."

According to a news release, relating personal experiences on and off the field to fatherhood, Kelly walks fathers through his game plan, challenging them to coach their children through 10 important lessons: thankfulness, confidence, respect, preparation, passion, perseverance, character, responsibility, teamwork, and spiritual life.

"It seems like many of these principles are fading away in our society, and I think it's our job as fathers to preserve them and pass them along to our children," writes Kelly.

In September 1997, three months after their infant son, Hunter, was diagnosed with a fatal disease, Jim and his wife, Jill, founded the Hunter's Hope Foundation. Sadly, Hunter died at age 8 from Krabbe diesease.

Each parenting lesson begins with a letter to his late son and ends with a letter to his two daughters, Cam and Erin. Kelly shares details of his and his wife Jill's journey to Christianity after the passing of their son, and how that experience has changed their lives for the better – forever.

FaithWords publishes books for the growing inspirational market. Based near Nashville, Tenn., FaithWords has grown dramatically by acquiring a solid list of faith-building fiction and high-profile authors with edifying messages, including best-selling authors Joyce Meyer, Joel Osteen, John Eldredge, and David Jeremiah. Several FaithWords titles have appeared on national best-seller lists, most recently Every Day a Friday by Joel Osteen, Living Beyond Your Feelings by Joyce Meyer and I Never Thought I'd See the Day! by David Jeremiah.