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The Best Thing I Learned From: Andy Dalton
Why he wears a wedding ring both on and off the field
DEL DUDUIT
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For the first two weeks, quarterback Andy Dalton has had the hot hand.
The Dallas signal caller has thrown for 508 yards and completed 45 of his 70 attempts. The Texas Christian University product has fired six touchdowns and has a passer rating of 108.5. Toss in the 2-0 start, and the Who-Dey faithful are optimistic about a first-ever NFL post-season win.
“It’s everyone’s dream who plays in this league to win the Super Bowl,” he said after a 34-23 win with his former Cincinnati Bengals over Baltimore in the Jungle at Paul Brown Stadium. “We are off to a good start, but it’s a long season.”
His throwing hand may be hot, but his left hand is more valuable to him.
That’s where he always wears his Qalo wedding ring for all to see.
THE BEST THING I LEARNED
Take pride in your marriage
For a few justifiable reasons, many football players do not wear a wedding band when they go to work. There is a risk of injury should a symbol of love be caught on a jersey. A player might have his finger broken or may lose the valuable token on the field of play.
When an alumnus of Andy’s alma mater developed a rubber ring for active athlete to wear, it was a perfect fit for him. The All-Pro quarterback likes the concept so much that he wears the bands everywhere he goes – even into the huddle.
“I am married, and to wear a ring and not have to worry about it getting damaged is nice,” he said. “I want everyone to know I’m married, and I have no reason to take this ring off.”
He even color coordinates his rings with his uniforms. When the team is on the road and wears white jerseys, he puts on the white Qalo. At home, the black one makes an appearance.
He wants to show the city he plays in front of, his colleagues, and the world he is off the market, even when he’s on the field.
In an industry with a high divorce rate, it’s refreshing to see a man tell everyone he’s dedicated to his wife and family. There have been many reports over the years that exposed the extramarital affairs of professional athletes off the field. These players have a lot of money at their disposal and time to waste when they are on the road during the season, and they also have a great deal of temptation thrown their way
I see the lures every time I attend a Bengals game or any other major sporting event. When I attended pre-Super Bowl events a few months ago, there was no shortage of women vying for the athletes’ attention.
But Andy sends a moral message to everyone equally and is as accurate as his recent passes. He holds his marriage and his vows on a higher playing field.
“He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the Lord” (Proverbs 18:22).
I want everyone to know I’m married, and I have no reason to take this ring off
THE BEST THING I LEARNED FROM ANDY DALTON:
I don’t mean to imply that every athlete is unfaithful or that every woman is out to catch a football player. Infidelity happens at work and even in the church.
But Andy wears his band while he plays a rugged sport to tell the world he is dedicated to his wife. When I spoke to him about this a couple of years ago, he inspired me to wear the Qalo brand. I used to have the standard gold symbol, and there is nothing wrong with that, just as long as you wear something!
Today, I also color coordinate my rings to go with my attire. It has brought about conversations, and I’ve also noticed it becoming more popular even in my circle of friends. When Andy passed by me after his media conference Thursday night, I held up my left hand, fist bumped him and said “Qalo.” He laughed and replied, “I love it.”
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it (Ephesians 5: 25).
Take pride in your marriage, and show off your hot hand!
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