Deland McCullough is running back a milestone moment.
In 2017, a Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach discovered a surprising family connection – his longtime mentor and former college coach, Sherman Smith, was actually his biological father.
According to a recent interview with Today, when the two met for the first time after discovering they were related, the man simply opened his arms and said, “My son.”
Steve Smith, a former player and coach for the Seattle Seahawks, and the mother of his son briefly dated when they were teenagers in 1972. Smith didn’t know she was pregnant, and she later placed their son for adoption.
Smith and McCullough eventually connected through their love of football. Smith, coaching at Miami University in Ohio, recruited McCullough when he was just 16 years old to play college football. Smith, now 70, also shared that being a mentor to his players greatly influenced his coaching style.
Deland McCullough is running back a milestone moment.
In 2017, a Las Vegas Raiders running backs coach discovered a surprising family connection: his longtime mentor and former college coach, Sherman Smith, was actually his biological father.
According to a recent interview with Today, when the two met for the first time after discovering they were related, the man simply opened his arms and said, “My son.”
Steve Smith, a former Seattle Seahawks player and running backs coach, briefly dated McCullough’s biological mother when they were both teenagers in 1972. Smith didn’t know she was pregnant with his son, who was later put up for adoption.
Smith and McCullough eventually connected through their mutual love of football. Smith, then a coach at Miami University in Ohio, recruited McCullough to play college football when McCullough was just 16 years old. Smith also noted that being a father figure to his players greatly influenced his coaching style.
Coach Smith, who is also a father of four, shared with Today what he’d tell his players: ‘I understand you might not need another father figure, but I’ll always treat you like one of my own sons.’
Their connection remained strong even after Smith finished his time at the college and became a tight ends coach at the University of Illinois.
After being mentored by him, the athlete joined the Cincinnati Bengals in 1996. Unfortunately, a knee injury ended his NFL career the next year. He then transitioned into coaching, working with various college teams, and eventually joined the Kansas City Chiefs and the Raiders as a coach.
During this period, McCullough, who grew up with just his mother, started looking for information about his birth parents. In November 2017, he received his adoption records and discovered who his birth mother was, finally completing his family history.
I asked, ‘Honestly, who is my father?'” the 52-year-old explained to Today. “And she told me, ‘Your father’s name is Sherman Smith.’
Nowadays, the duo reflects on how McCullough inadvertently followed in his father’s footsteps.
McCullough and I both enjoyed successful careers at the University of Miami, and we’re both honored to be in the school’s Hall of Fame. We both went on to play professional football, but unfortunately, both of our careers were cut short due to multiple knee surgeries. After football, we both prioritized getting an education.
He mentioned that they’ve both been to the Super Bowl several times, but sadly, they both lost to Tom Brady.
Read on for more celebrities you may not know are related…
During an episode of Finding Your Roots on April 2nd, host Henry Louis Gates Jr. discovered that Lena Dunham and Larry David share a common ancestor through Dunham’s mother’s side of the family.
Genealogist Adina Newman, who shares family history on Instagram as My Family Genie, has discovered that Tom Sandoval and Ariana Madix may be distantly related. According to her research, they share a common ancestor on their fathers’ side of the family, going back to the 17th century.
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The actors are actually brother and sister!
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The SNL alum calls the Cheers icon Uncle George whenever he sees him. At least, we assume he does.
Yep, Game of Thrones‘ Stannis Baratheon is the real-life dad of Fear the Walking Dead‘s Nick Clark.
The singer Sam Smith and the actress Jenna Ortega are distant cousins – specifically, third cousins. Smith revealed in a radio interview that they’ve never actually met, explaining that their families are very large.
The Salt actor and the memorable Law & Order: SVU guest star are half-brothers.
You may not have guessed but the Bridesmaids comedian and the former View co-host are cousins.
The actress from We’re the Millers is lucky to have Pretty Woman star and her aunt as a guide.
Who knew the stunning Dancing With the Stars pro is second cousins with the Friends alum?
The actor who plays a vampire on True Blood got into acting thanks to his father, who is famous for his roles in The Avengers and Thor movies.
The actor known for playing Ghost Rider has a very creative family. His cousin directed the film The Bling Ring, another starred in Saving Mr. Banks, and his uncle was the director of the classic movie The Godfather.
The British singer, known for speaking her mind, is the older sister of a famous actor from Game of Thrones. She actually wrote a song dedicated to him called “Alfie.”
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The actress known for her role in The Secret Life of Walter Mitty first motivated her younger brother to pursue a career in entertainment.
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2025-10-28 21:18