Key Takeaways
- Cam Akers was born on June 22, 1999, as the second son to mother Angela Neal Akers and father Conni Akers.
- Cam calls his mother the “Strongest woman I know” and has deep respect for both his parents.
Cam Akers was born on June 22, 1999, and plays running back for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL).
Born as the second son to mother Angela Neal Akers and father Conni Akers, he has basked in their unconditional love but has also had his fair share of hardships.
He has three other siblings with whom he seems to share a very good relationship.
It’s quite shocking to know that Cam’s initial primary focus was not football but rather baseball and basketball.
It is all thanks to his father, Conni, that he pursued football professionally. Conni’s father was the one who put up the condition that he could play basketball but had to play football as well.
He became one of Clinton, Mississippi’s most legendary high school running backs.
He was named Mississippi Gatorade Player of The Year and then went on to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl and won the U.S. Army Player of the Year Award in 2016.
Amidst all his success, a painful story remained hidden deep in his heart.
His mother, Angela, was diagnosed with Breast cancer in 2009 when he was just about 10 years old.
This experience is what has developed his emotional and mental strata today.
He says, “It just taught me to never complain, Seeing my mom go through breast cancer — she’s a survivor now — but her going through breast cancer taught me there’s not much to complain about in life, seeing her fight and knowing it was for her children. She said that all the time. It made me a fighter.”
Even amidst her battle with cancer, she never stopped supporting her son. She was present in all his games, all his decisions, and even when he decided to go to Florida State University.
Cam spent 3 years at FSU before being drafted by the Rams in 2020. This wasn’t just good news for him; his whole family rejoiced.
His mother even called it an “out-of-body experience” when Roger Goodell called out her son’s name.
Angela, Cam’s mother, said,
“The Rams are really working with him. The coaches are motivating him and staying on him, and you can see the progression week by week.”
And that they even tried to talk him out of it, like ‘Cam, isn’t that a little far?’”
To which Cam replied as such, “Yeah, I know, but that is one of my spots.”
Cam knew that he had to give up the comfort of his home if he wanted to achieve success. It would seem like he did it for himself only, but the truth is, he did it for himself and his family.
She says that Cam and his sibling were her reason, which helped her pull through the cancer journey.
She also states that she is very PROUD of her son and even prouder that he became a “Survivor” able to pull through any hardship life threw at him.
His former team, the Los Angeles Rams, also posted a video captioned, “Strongest woman I know.” Cam Akers’ mom overcoming breast cancer motivates him to be his best.
His mother’s battle against cancer seems to have made him realize firsthand, just how painful the said condition can be, both to the patient and their families.
He seems to connect to them with empathy having gone through the same experience, and also makes active visitations to the cancer patients.
He has now initiated a partnership with the American Cancer Society to help raise awareness for early detection and risk reduction.
#Texans running back Cam Akers @thereal_cam3 whose mother had breast cancer, visits cancer patients w/ @TexansCheer Houston Methodist West Hospital in Crucial Catch, #NFL initiative in partnership with @AmericanCancer raise awareness for early detection, risk reduction @KPRC2 pic.twitter.com/XYERceCqAQ
— Aaron Wilson (@AaronWilson_NFL) September 24, 2024
Cam’s father, Conni says that he knew that Cam was a gifted child, in his words, “He was just a little more advanced than most kids his age.”
When the Rams won the SuperBowl in Cam’s second year of his professional career, Conni said,
“You know, there was talk about the Rams being the front runner for the Super Bowl but I can assure you there was not a plan to go to the Super Bowl, We were kinda like, ‘When it happens we will just attack that when it comes.”
It seems that his grounded, laid back and level-headed attitude comes from his dad!
TRADE: Texans trading RB Cam Akers to the Vikings. (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/9yJaux4XmC
— NFL (@NFL) October 15, 2024
Cam Akers was traded to the Vikings in 2023, where another Achilles injury after the one in 2021, prematurely ended his season.
Cam Akers tore his left Achilles in 2021. And his right Achilles in 2023.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) August 25, 2024
Doing mind-blowing stuff this preseason for #Texans. Notable with Dameon Pierce struggling so badly. pic.twitter.com/I1Jqsvy5vV
Though many details about his parents remain unknown, what we do know is that Cam’s parents are his HEROS, his INSPIRATION and they too have raised their children by spending every drop of their blood, sweat, and tears and made sure that they never lacked anything.
In Case You Didn’t Know
- Akers was considered the sixth-best running back to enter the 2020 NFL Draft and was a projected second-round pick.
- He was selected by the Los Angeles Rams in the second round, 52nd overall, in the 2020 NFL Draft.
- Cam tore his Achilles tendon while working out shortly before the start of training camp on July 20, 2021.
