By Lisa Zimmerman, Player Engagement Insider
Jacksonville Jaguars guard A.J. Cann, a 2015 third-round Draft pick, has always been drawn toward helping children and his plan, had the NFL not worked out, was to have become a social worker and it is something that remains on his radar for his career after football.
“Football was a surprise,” the Bamberg South Carolina native said. “I played for fun, but I didn’t know I’d have the opportunity to play college or go into the NFL. Since high school I’ve always tried to be a good role model out in the community and with children. I love working with kids, they look up to you and you can set a great example.”
But, football did work out and Cann first headed off to the University of South Carolina (USC), which would prove to be the launching pad for his NFL career and introduce him to a new source of inspiration.
Among the many popular sports at USC, in addition to football, is equestrian. So, it’s not so out-of-the-ordinary to see some of the Gamecocks football team members in attendance at those competitions. Also frequently in attendance is one of the school’s most avid fans, seven-year-old Ciara. And that’s where Cann met the little girl who has since become a close pal.
The two first met when Ciara spied Cann and some of his teammates nearby and came over to take pictures with them. The two clicked immediately and Cann exchanged numbers with the little girl’s grandmother so they could stay in touch. They speak regularly and Cann visits whenever he’s home and his schedule allows.
One of the things that captivated and continues to inspire Cann was Ciara’s warrior spirit in dealing with the challenges in her own life. She is both epileptic and diabetic, but never lets either condition slow her down.
“She’s a very strong little girl,” Cann said. “She has surgeries and she’ll be in the hospital, but she’ll battle through it and it’s like nothing ever happened.”
And it’s not the first time Cann has been around a person like Ciara who has helped motivate him. One of his younger sisters was severely injured in a car accident several years ago and at the time, doctors projected her recovery would never allow her to participate in many normal activities. That’s what they thought.
“She’s played sports and became homecoming queen,” Cann said. “People like that work so hard and fight through their situations, I have a soft place in my heart for that.”
Cann credits his family for instilling a foundation of both humility and hard work in him. He has four brothers, but after his mother passed away in 2007, his father remarried and he now also has three step-sisters.
“I had a family that worked hard. We didn’t show off or compete with anybody. That’s how I was raised so I tried to stay humble.”
With that humble personality, Cann doesn’t talk much about his personal achievements. For someone who never thought football would amount to anything for him, he was named team captain and started 51 games at USC, second only to former center T.J. Johnson (now with the Cincinnati Bengals) who holds the school record with 53. As a rookie with the Jaguars, he started 13 games.
He is grateful for the opportunities that he knows the NFL will provide for him both now and in his future pursuits.
“The NFL can give me those opportunities,” Cann said. “I want to start a mentoring program in my town and help keep kids off the streets. The streets can eat up a kid or a young adult quickly if they’re not focused.”
As Cann heads into his second NFL season, he remains excited about all of the possibilities ahead of him in both his current career as well as in whatever is to follow.
Lisa Zimmerman is a long-time NFL writer and reporter. She was the Jets correspondent for CBSSports.com, SportsNet New York’s TheJetsBlog.com and Sirius NFL Radio. She has also written for NFL.com.