Ryan O'Halloran
The worst part for Buffalo Bills players Terrel Bernard, Shane Buechele, Taylor Rapp and Tyrell Shavers is when they have to leave their newborn babies, if only for a few hours. They simply don’t want to miss a moment.
The best part? Everything else. The lack of sleep. The holding. The feeding. The changing. And just looking at them.
This Father’s Day has a particularly special meaning for the four players who became first-time dads this spring.
Buechele’s daughter, Blaize, was born April 1 to start a spree of Bills births. Rapp’s son, Kailo, was born April 29, followed by Bernard’s daughter, Jordy, on May 1, and Shavers’ daughter, Avori, on June 8.
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Bills receiver Tyrell Shavers makes a catch during Tuesday’s minicamp practice, two days after the birth of his daughter, Avori. Harry Scull Jr. photos, Buffalo News
The babies and their moms are healthy. The dads are on a permanent cloud nine.
Bernard: “Amazing.”
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Shavers: “Wonderful.”
Rapp: “Incredible.”
Buechele: “Really cool.”Buechele and his wife, Paige, named their daughter Blaize Haven after the Bible verses Matthew 5:14-16.
“She will be blazing a light and shining a light,” Shane said. “And her middle name is (for) ‘save haven.’ She’ll be confident, but she also knows who her God is.”
Paige and Blaize remained in Texas during the Bills’ offseason program, but Shane flew home every weekend. Paige and Blaize will travel to Buffalo during training camp.
“I go home and spend some time with the baby to let (Paige) nap and rest,” Shane said. “A lot of FaceTime (when he’s in Buffalo) and then whenever I’m home, I just want to hold her and let her nap on my chest. It’s an amazing feeling.”
Even if he’s gone for four to five days, Buechele can notice Blaize’s changes.
“Oh, 100%,” he said. “She’s gaining a lot of weight and getting those chubby cheeks and starting to be active. Our baby girl makes some funny faces when she looks at me and then she’ll give me a big old smile, and that’s just a good feeling.”
What lessons did Buechele learn growing up that he wants to apply to Blaize?
“Just be respectful – that’s the biggest thing (my parents) told me – it’s, ‘Yes, ma’am, yes, sir, no ma’am and no sir,’ ” – and also be humble,” Buechele said.
Kailo Rapp, son of Taylor and his wife, Dani, was born in the Buffalo area, allowing Taylor to see him each day after practice.
“Exhausting, but one of the best experiences and moments for my wife and I,” Taylor said. “Just incredible. (The sleep) has been better after the first couple of weeks were rough.”
Rapp experienced a cool interaction with Kailo last week.
“The best moments are getting home and being a dad, but last week was the first time he recognized me and gave me a smile,” he said. “That was a special, special moment.” Rapp’s main lesson for Kailo?
“One of my parents’ traits that they passed onto to me and my brother was work ethic and what you put into whatever you want to be,” Rapp said. “Putting in the work will help things take care of itself.”
Two days after Kailo Rapp was born, Jordy Bernard, daughter of Terrel and his wife, Tayler, arrived at 10:45 a.m. May 1 in Buffalo.
“It’s been kind of wild,” Terrel said. “I can’t wait to go home every day and play with her, and I see her change and develop and start to gain her own personality. It’s been awesome.”
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Bills linebacker Terrel Bernard was all smiles after practice last week when talking about becoming a first-time father. His daughter, Jordy, was born on May 1. Harry Scull Jr., Buffalo News
Bernard has the usual routine with Jordy – feeding, changing and holding her – but he already has a favorite pastime.
“Usually I just make her look at me and we’ll just stare at each other for a while,” he said.
Bernard said being a father has “exceeded” his expectations.
“Everybody says you don’t really understand until it happens and you have your own child, and I can attest to that,” he said. “It’s been eye-opening and kind of surreal to see you in another form and take care of somebody who is solely dependent on you.”
The Bernards will head to Texas during the Bills’ summer break to introduce Jordy to relatives who haven’t visited Buffalo yet. And don’t worry, fans: Jordy has been properly outfitted ahead of her first football season.
“She has a ton of Bills stuff,” Terrel said with a laugh. “My wife, my wife’s mom and our whole family got her all kinds of stuff.”
Completing the Bills Baby Grand Slam was Avori Shavers, who was born in Buffalo on the morning of June 8, to Tyrell and his fiancée, Teah.
After minicamp practice Tuesday, Shavers was in a hurry to watch video, lift weights, shower and head back to the hospital to visit his family. But the thought of his first Father’s Day stopped him in his tracks.
“She’s doing wonderful. Her and Mom are both doing great,” Tyrell said.
Shavers described the week as “hectic,” but in the best kind of way.
“It’s been a blessing at the same time and starting a family with my now fiancée is amazing,” he said. “I’m so glad I got a chance to be there and witness everything.”
On Tuesday, Shavers was at the hospital when he had to leave for meetings and practice.
“She was smiling and it broke my heart, but I had to come to work,” he said. “I can’t wait to get back to her.”
Shavers’ message to Avori when she gets older?
“No matter what, don’t ever give up and always believe in yourself, even when nobody else does,” he said. “That’s how you get others to believe in you.”
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