Frank and Rhonda Landry are the proud parents of Dawan and LaRon Landry – NFL players for the Baltimore Ravens & Washington Redskins
Frank and Rhonda Landry watched their sons play against each other in an NFL football scrimmage game Saturday, August 4 in Baltimore, when the Baltimore Ravens took on the Washington Redskins.
For most parents it’s just a dream to have a child play a sport and make it to the professional level, but for the Landry family, their athletic sons, Dawan, who plays for the Ravens, and LaRon, who plays for the Redskins, have joined the ranks of professional football-playing siblings in the NFL.
“On Saturday, we watched the game and cheered for both our sons,” Rhonda, told the Herald-Guide.
“We’re excited and proud,” she continued.
“When you have two children participating in sports, you always encourage them to do their best.”
The Landry’s feel it’s not about taking sides or choosing a team to root for.
“At this point all my husband Frank and I want is for both of our sons to remain humble, stay focused, and never forget where they came from,” Rhonda continued.
The transition to sports seemed natural for both Dawan and LaRon, since their father, Frank coached recreational football and was a college athlete for Northeast University in Monroe.
“My husband played football in college and always loved the game, but he injured both knees and wasn’t able to pursue an NFL career,” Rhonda said.
As the a recreational football coach in Ama, Frank Landry coached both his sons and remembers Dawan being focused, and LaRon being tough.
“I remember when the boys started playing football,” he said.
“Dawan was seven years old and LaRon was five,” he continued.
“LaRon was really too young to play, but he really wanted to so I started him out early.”
“LaRon was five then and Dawan was seven and the boys were in full gear ready to practice,” he recalls.
“I told Dawan to tackle LaRon and boy did he tackle him,” he continued.
“He hit LaRon so hard, he fell to the ground and his eyes rolled to the back of his head for a minute,” he said.
“I shook him to ask him if he was okay and he just looked at me and said, ‘Dad that was fun, can I do it again?’
Frank said he realized that LaRon was tough and was ready to play the game, and Dawan was focused and carried out his instructions.
“I watch Dawan when he’s home visiting and he works out everyday and spends a lot of his time watching films of plays,” he said.
“Dawan is committed to his team and he takes his job seriously, I respect that about him,” he continued.
“LaRon has a natural talent to play football and instincts that only come from God, and he’s focused too.”
LaRon played the free safety position at LSU and is projected to play the strong safety position now that he’s playing professional football.
Both parents have encouraged their children to spend their earnings wisely and to invest more than they spend.
“I told LaRon and Dawan to make sure they don’t take this opportunity for granted and over-spend,” Rhonda said.
“I told them to invest,” Frank said.
“They don’t owe us anything and we don’t want them to give us anything,” Rhonda said.
“We just want them to enjoy their lives and the blessings and opportunities God has given them.”
Rhonda believes that parental involvement contributed to her sons’ success when it came to sports, but says she encouraged them to do well academically too.
“My husband has never missed one game in any sporting event that our sons participated in ,” she continued.
“I missed one, and that was the day I had to attend a funeral,” she added.
“But I never missed an open house or parent teacher conference for either Dawan or LaRon when they were in school,” she said.
Rhonda said Dawan has a degree from Georgia Tech University and she would like to see LaRon complete his education.
“LaRon was studying communications at LSU and I hope he completes his degree because he’s only got a couple of semesters left and education is important,” she said.
“Sports is important, but a college degree will make sure you are secure no matter what.”
The Landry’s feel that it’s important to have a close- knit family too.
“LaRon has a two-year-old daughter named Trinity that loves daddy very much and comes to watch him play football,” Rhonda said.
“She doesn’t understand what he does, but we enjoy bringing her to the football games with us so she can watch her dad play,” she continued.
Dawan and LaRon also have a half-brother, Derick Bossier, Frank’s son from a previous relationship.
“He graduated from Vanderbilt and he also played college ball,” Frank said, “Derick graduated from college with a degree in engineering. He is a manufacturing manager for General Motors and he’s proud of his brothers.”
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