Over the past several years, there have been incredible stories of siblings making it to the big leagues but having to play against each other on game day.
In the NFL’s 57th-annual Super Bowl, Travis Kelce of the Kansas City Chiefs and Jason Kelce of the Philadelphia Eagles played against one another for their respective teams.
The Watt brothers, J.J., T.J. and Derek, all played for three different teams throughout their years in the NFL. Many family reunions throughout sporting history have resulted in siblings playing a sporting game against each other. It is a rare sighting for three siblings to all play on the same team.
In the 2023 football season, three brothers on the FAU roster share the same last name and take the field together on game days.
LaJohntay, Jaylen and John Wester Jr. played football together at Palmetto High School before coming to FAU.
“It feels great. It’s a dream come true. Growing up in the same household and being able to pursue our dreams at a high level, it’s a blessing,” stated LaJohntay on playing with his brothers.
LaJohntay is a junior wide receiver and the middle child of the Wester brothers. This season, LaJohntay has become the all-time leader in Florida Atlantic history with 163 career receptions. He knows a lot about competitiveness and leadership through his talents and drive.
“The competitiveness growing up in the household, it could be very bad, and it can be very good sometimes,” Jaylen laughed. “The competitiveness has always been there since we were little. We’ll end up fighting in the backyard, but it makes us. It made us grow as a whole.”
Jaylen is a sophomore outside linebacker and the youngest of the Wester trio. He talked about how his two older brothers were solely why he fell in love with football and wanted to play. Being the youngest, his older brothers were his role models growing up.
The brothers agreed their household was rivalrous and competitive.
“The biggest rivalry for sure was Tay and I. Him being on the offensive side and me being on the defensive side… in high school, I got to go against LaJohntay a lot,” John stated. “We were sharpening each other as we grew up, and it just became more and more competitive.”
John Wester Jr. is a senior cornerback for the Owls team and the oldest brother out of the Wester brothers trio. John going after the cornerback position was not coincidental, with the brother’s father being a former cornerback in his playing days. The brothers talked about LaJohntay being the only offensive athlete in the household, growing up with Jaylen being a linebacker and John Jr. and father John Sr. being cornerbacks.
The brothers shared how everything they did growing up was not by mistake. The brothers loved playing football in their childhood neighborhood and being there for one another. Their father greatly influenced their character and career goals — all three brothers major in public safety because John Sr. is an entrepreneur.
“All of our overall goals are to pretty much be an entrepreneur like our father and be in massage therapy and physical training,” LaJohntay joyfully stated.
John continued, “I have to credit my dad a lot…it’s definitely something all of us wanted to do.”
The brothers believe in pushing each other to be their best selves. They talked about holding each other accountable and separating the teammate from the brother role. They spoke of knowing each other’s personalities and how to approach each other with understanding how the other would respond.
David Marino, former head coach for Palmetto High School’s football team who now teaches social studies, coached all three Wester brothers in high school. Marino noted the different personalities and characteristics of the trio.
He said John was more reserved and business-oriented, while LaJohntay was more outgoing and Jaylen was ready for Hollywood.
“I guess you can say the younger they got, the more personality,” Marino said.
Allyssia Hayes is a contributing writer for the University Press. For more information regarding this or other stories, email her @[email protected] or DM her via Instagram @lyssiahayes
