‘He wanted to be the best’: Jalon Walker’s parents reflect on son’s NFL journey

SALISBURY, N.C. — Jalon Walker’s first dream was to “arrive in Hollywood in a limo,” according to his mom LaSheka Walker.

“All in all, he just wanted to be a star, it didn’t matter,” Jalon’s father, Curtis Walker, said. “In everything he was doing, he wanted to be the best. Singing in the school play, he wanted the lead role. Everything he’s done, he wanted to do it at the highest level.”

“He grabbed the singing bug, and we thought it was gonna be something along those lines,” LaSheka said. “We never really saw this football thing at first.”

Memories of a young Jalon flooded Curtis’ mind during the Catawba College season opener. He used to bring the whole team out to watch Jalon sing the national anthem. 

Now, Jalon Walker is on the cusp of taking the biggest stage: the NFL.

“They had the flyers where they’d send stuff home and it was about football. He was like, ‘Hey can I play?’ And I’m thinking, ‘OK, sure!’” LaSheka said. “We were excited of course, that he wanted to play.”

Memories like this may not be what you’d expect to hear from a coach’s kid. Jalon grew up watching his dad on the sidelines: coaching at Coastal Carolina as a defensive coordinator and eventually returning to his alma mater, Catawba College, to take over as the head coach.

“It’s all about working and putting yourself in the best position,” Curtis said. “Football coaches are tagged with having to move around all the time. We wanted something different for our family.”

“And really this last stint that we just had, that was kinda intentional,” said LaSheka Walker on their return to Catawba College.

Back in Salisbury, even though Jalon didn’t start playing football until seventh grade, he was always immersed in the game.

“He was at all our practices,” Curtis explained. “All he was able to come to. [LaSheka] had a schedule but I would see her ride down the hill, car stopped, two doors open and they would fly out and they would get lost in amongst our team. That experience was all in all about him and Deuce [Jalon’s younger brother] being able to sit there and learn at their own pace. They both were able to watch the interactions of the coaches and players. Hearing the grunts and seeing the coaching. Seeing the intensity of the ball game.”

Those moments have shaped Jalon’s character into the player and the person he is today, often described as the ultimate ‘coach’s kid’.

“Being tagged as a coach’s kid, you look at the bases they’re coming from. A source of structure, discipline, work ethic,” Curtis said. “Being tagged as a coach’s kid, he really defines that.”

“It’s just who he is, it’s genuine,” LaSheka said. “It’s funny, it’s like, hmm, they were listening. All the times when we were just like, ‘Did you hear what I said? Yes, I heard you.’ I’m a firm believer in what they see is what they do.”

The Walkers left more than their mark on the Salisbury community, filled with a large family and endless connections created over the years. Curtis and LaSheka reminisced on Jalon and their son Deuce’s activities, from their games to reading a poem at a school program, and remembering a large contingent of friends and family always showing up and making themselves seen.

“Landing back here and taking the job that I did, we had the chance to bring our boys back here to Salisbury, where her family is,” Curtis said. “Catawba College, where I was an undergrad and a coach for most of my life. I know those relationships were still in this community, so we know coming back to Salisbury was going to be something special for our family.”

A place where a star would begin to shine under the support of his family. The legacy of Jalon Walker continues to sing.

Contact Danielle Stein at dstein@wcnc.com and follow her on X and Instagram.