NFL Player Gives Stunning Recount of Delivering His Baby at Home: My Wife is ‘The Real MVP’

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dawuane Smoot made the biggest play — and most important catch of his life — this week.

The pro football player assisted his wife Aumari Smoot in unexpectedly delivering their daughter Ahlani at home early Tuesday morning. The proud parents joined CNN Thursday afternoon to recount the amazing birth.

Smoot was in their living room when he realized his wife was too far along in labor to get to the hospital. “It was kind of surreal,” Smoot said, noting that he managed to feel comfortable during the birth because the couple had their first child at home.

But they were less prepared this time, expecting their daughter Ahlani to be born at a birthing center. Aumari described the scene as “chaotic,” but noted “I’m so proud of him for how he handled the situation,” speaking of her husband.

“She’s being coy right now,” the NFL player said of his wife. “She’s definitely the real MVP.”

As Smoot describes, the baby had the umbilical cord stuck around her neck after she was born. But immediately after giving birth, Smoot’s wife didn’t hesitate to act, “she just jumped right in and pulled the umbilical cord off.”

“I was on the phone with the ambulance,” the 26-year-old Jaguar said. “They told me to grab a shoe string…they told me to tie it around the umbilical cord to allow the blood flow to be able to go to the baby.”

Smoot said once they heard the baby take a “big breath” and start to cry, they were relieved to know everything was OK.

“I think my next job will definitely be a stay-at-home dad,” the fifth-year NFL player added, noting that his wife is a successful poet. “Me stepping into that father role is something that feels comfortable for me.”

Watch above via CNN