For 21 years, Erica Kelly’s world has revolved around her son, Bobby Brown III, or as she affectionately refers to him, Trey.
“We went through things and like I say he made raising him easy. He made being a mom easy,” said Kelly.
Sunday, the single mom will share him with the entire nation as the Rams rookie takes his place on the field for Super Bowl LVI.
“I can only just say, I thank God, for allowing my son to be a part of this. This is history. This is something that can never be taken from him, so I'm just grateful,” she said.
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Kelly raised her son in North Texas where the 6'4", 235-pound defensive tackle played for Arlington Lamar High School before moving on to Texas A&M, and eventually, the 2021 NFL draft.
That was a moment in which mother and son leaned on each other.
“I said, ‘Trey, when are you going to just trust the process? Trust God, son. You worked your entire life, literally, towards something,'” said Kelly. “And then he said, ‘Okay, Momma. If you driving, I’m riding.’ And I said, ‘Okay.’"
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It's advice she knows well. After all, Brown's love of sports and competition is a trait passed down from mother to son.
Friday night, as coach of the Newman International Academy of Cedar Hill girl's basketball team, Kelly took home a win in the district championship.
She told Brown she has faith that on Super Bowl Sunday, he’ll do the same.
“You haven't begun to scratch the surface of what God is going to do for your life, period,” Kelly told Brown. “I'm happy. I'm thankful, and I'm ready. And my flight couldn't leave any sooner.”
