Ask a Haitian-American NFL player what’s special about his upbringing, and odds are he’ll recall the childhood revelation that distinguished him from his American peers. As the boys who would be pro football players transitioned from soccer to football in childhood, and grew friendships with Americans of all stripes, they began to understand what set their own experiences apart.
“I just feel like Haitians don’t really complain,” says Bengals running back Gio Bernard.
“My dad never made any excuses,” says Vikings linebacker Emmanuel Lamur.
“Haitians appreciate what they do have instead of dwelling on their problems,” says 49ers wide receiver Pierre Garçon.