As Brendon Ayanbadejo zeroes in on the most important football game of his career, the Baltimore Ravens linebacker can't help but think of home.
That's where his 22-month-old son, Amadeus Prime, awaits him. Amadeus is scheduled for surgery in the spring to correct a congenital heart condition known as Atrial Septal Defect (ASD). As much as Super Bowl XLVII means to Ayanbadejo, the health of his son is front and center.
"Really, nothing else is important," Ayanbadejo told Michael Silver of Yahoo! Sports. "This is one of the biggest weeks of my life -- it's the pinnacle of professional greatness -- but if he's not healthy, then there is no greatness. After the operation, then I'll really celebrate."
Make no mistake, we're dealing with a proud father here. Ayanbadejo gushed as he described Amadeus to Silver, calling his child a "magnificent creature."
"He has the brightest blue eyes you've ever seen, and big, juicy lips," Ayanbadejo said. "And he's an incredibly smart kid. He potty-trained himself, two months ago; he just decided to take off his diaper and sit down on the toilet."
If you have the unique privilege of being a father, you know why this is a big deal. Three cheers for Amadeus.
Follow Marc Sessler on Twitter @MarcSesslerNFL.
