The Best Father-Son Moments Captured in Sports History
Sports often highlight family connections in very direct ways. When a father and son appear together during a major event, it adds context that people remember. These moments matter because they show the personal side of the athletes involved. The examples below reflect well-known instances reported across reliable sports coverage.
LeBron James And Bronny James
Credit: Instagram
At the start of the 2024-25 season, LeBron James and Bronny James took to the court for the Lakers, which marked the first time a father-son duo had ever played together in an NBA game. LeBron, already the league’s all-time scoring leader with four MVP awards and four titles, called playing with his son the top accomplishment of his career.
Ken Griffey Sr. And Ken Griffey Jr.
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Nothing in baseball looked quite like the Griffeys in 1990. They became the first father-son pair to appear in a starting lineup together, and then they topped that by hitting back-to-back home runs for the Mariners. Griffey Sr. had already won two World Series titles with the Reds, and Griffey Jr. eventually became a 13-time All-Star with 630 career homers.
Derek Redmond And Jim Redmond
The 1992 Olympics delivered one of the most emotional scenes ever on a track. Derek Redmond tore his hamstring during the 400 meters and refused to stop, hobbling forward until his father Jim pushed through security to help him finish. The crowd saw a dad supporting his son through pain.
Brett Favre And Irvin Favre
Credit: Facebook
A day after Irvin Favre passed away, Brett Favre put together one of the wildest Monday Night Football performances. He threw for 399 yards and four touchdowns against the Raiders, stating that he played to honor his father. Teammates said they could feel the emotion from the first snap, and the broadcast captured a player pouring everything he had into a tribute.
Robinson Cano And Jose Cano
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The 2011 Home Run Derby turned into a family batting practice session. Jose Cano pitched to his son Robinson and sent him perfect tosses that helped him crush 12 homers in the final round. The younger Cano beat Adrian Gonzalez to win the event and smiled the whole time because the pitcher behind every swing was his dad.
Pat Cash And His Father
Right after winning Wimbledon in 1987, Pat Cash sprinted into the stands to wrap his arms around his dad. He became the first champion to climb into the crowd at the tournament, a move that would later become a tradition for future winners. The hug showed exactly who he wanted to celebrate with first.
Ron Hunter And R.J. Hunter
Credit: Youtube
March Madness delivered a father-son buzzer-beater in 2015 when Georgia State, coached by Ron Hunter, upset Baylor thanks to a deep three from R.J. Hunter with 2.6 seconds left. Ron fell off his stool in shock during the shot, and after the final horn, they shared a long embrace that instantly became one of the tournament’s most memorable moments.
Michael Jordan And James Jordan Sr.
Credit: IMDb
Michael Jordan returned to basketball in 1995, following the loss of his father in 1993. His first title after returning landed on Father’s Day in 1996. When the Bulls beat the SuperSonics to win the championship, Jordan collapsed in the locker room, overwhelmed by the timing. His father had always pushed him, and this win tied their connection even tighter.
The Harbaugh Family
Credit: Youtube
Super Bowl XLVII put brothers John and Jim Harbaugh on opposite sidelines while their dad, Jack Harbaugh, watched from the stands. The Ravens beat the 49ers 34-31 after a goal-line stop, thus creating the only Super Bowl coached by brothers. Jack mentioned the moment felt surreal because he had once driven them to youth practices, and now they were battling for a championship.
Howie Long And Chris Long
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Howie Long’s Hall of Fame NFL career set a high bar, and Chris Long ended up matching the family toughness with back-to-back Super Bowl titles for the Patriots and Eagles. They became the first father-son duo to both win a Super Bowl, and Kyle Long added to the family’s football legacy with three Pro Bowl seasons as a guard.