The Group Chat: Dad strength is real

There’s been a huge movement in women’s sports to protect and support athletes who are pregnant and postpartum — and rightfully so. But that movement hasn’t yet touched men’s sports, even though new parenthood also has seismic effects on the careers of male athletes, both good and bad.

• In honor of Father’s Day, we’re chatting about the papas balancing elite sports and diaper duty. Dad strength, loading.

You’ve likely heard of dad strength and dad reflexes, and elite athletes are no exception to the dad bod glow-up. There’s not much science to back up the improved performance in elite athletes (although men’s bodies and brains do change in early parenthood), but anecdotally, the dad strength lore is strong:

• ⚾ MLB: It’s not uncommon for players to hit home runs in their first game back after the birth of a child — it’s happened 29 times in the past 15 years, most recently to the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers last month (Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper is the only player to do it twice). Many MLBers acknowledge the dad strength boost as a given.

• 👟 Running: While there’s a physiological reason mothers get faster after giving birth, dads’ PR–pushing performances are often chalked up to psychological effects…but they’re no less real.

• 🏈 NFL: The NY Giants’ locker room, especially the offensive line, had a massive baby boom last season, bringing players and their families closer on and off the field. Coincidence that the O-line had its best (read: least embarrassing) season in years? We think not.

Becoming a dad can help your game, but it also presents immense challenges to elite athletes and their families. While birthing parents have no choice but to step back from competition during the early postpartum period, non-birthing parents are often expected to jump right back in at the highest level…if they’re given a break at all.

• Of the major men’s pro leagues in the U.S., only MLB formally offers players paid parental leave — a whole three days — made possible by their minor league system. Other athletes rely on the discretion of their clubs and coaches, and they can face serious stigma if they choose to take leave during the season.

• Many men do miss some competition to be present for at least the birth (see: retired NBA star Dwyane Wade, current NBAer Anthony Edwards, and PGA golfer Scottie Scheffler), but it’s not always doable: NFL quarterback Joe Flacco once learned during warmups that his wife had given birth to their second son, then still played the game.

After the birth, the demands of an elite athletic career combined with the demands of new parenthood can cause exhaustion, which jeopardizes performance and can lead to mental health struggles. Yes, dads can experience postpartum depression and anxiety, too.

• It’s also no secret that birthing parents and other caregivers pick up a lot of the slack, becoming the primary parent and sometimes bending over backwards to keep their families together during big moments, like when Kylie Kelce brought her obstetrician to the Super Bowl in case she went into labor while her husband Jason was playing.

• When dads return to the pro athlete grind, it can strain families and trigger guilt. But at the same time, many dads report becoming more efficient in training and better at time management. Plus, they take increased pride in their game now that they know tiny eyes are watching. It’s all about balance.