Success stories in the NFL are rarely built overnight, and for Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Calvin Austin III, the path has been anything but smooth. Undersized and often overlooked, he fought through years of being doubted, first as a walk-on at Memphis for the Memphis Tigers and later as a fourth-round pick tasked with proving he belongs on one of football’s grandest stages. Austin has often spoken about the grit and determination it took to reach the NFL, qualities deeply rooted in his upbringing.
Those close to Austin know that behind the wide receiver’s resilience stand his parents, Calvin Austin II and Mimi Austin. Through rocky stretches of his athletic career, they provided the guidance, discipline, and stability that allowed their son to chase a dream that seemed unlikely to many.
Calvin Austin’s Dad: A Father Who Led by Example
Calvin Austin’s father is Calvin Austin II, who worked as a police officer in Memphis for over two decades. Austin II’s demanding profession could have easily pulled him away from family life, but he found ways to be present. Reflecting on those years, he once said: “I was blessed enough that my kids didn’t go to daycare… I would be there with them.” That commitment to family shaped the household’s values, reinforcing hard work, responsibility, and faith. Talking about dad, Calvin Austin recently said, “My father carried the weight of both parents. He was strict when he needed to be, but he also gave us the love and warmth that held our family together. I owe everything to him.”
Austin III has publicly expressed how much he looks up to his father’s character, describing him as the model of the kind of man he hopes to become. “I have a ton of respect for him and all police…” The Steelers WR said. “And I just really want to be the same kind of impact he has had and be a man of God and a family man like he is.”
While his father’s career gave lessons in discipline and sacrifice, his mother brought warmth and balance to the family structure. Calvin Austin III’s mom is Mimi Austin, who worked alongside her husband to ensure their children, Calvin III and his four sisters, Cami Bea, Claudia-Ruthie, Naomi Pearl, and Bella Rose, were always supported.
Though she tends to stay out of the spotlight, Mimi’s role in nurturing her son’s confidence and perseverance has been acknowledged by both her husband and Calvin himself. Together, she and Calvin II orchestrated a household where family remained the top priority despite long work shifts and financial challenges.
For Austin III, Family is the Bedrock of Resilience
For Calvin Austin III, the lessons at home translated into the persistence needed to thrive in football. He walked on at Memphis, waited years for his chance, and proved doubters wrong through sheer determination. That toughness, he says, comes directly from his roots: “I walked on … I didn’t play my first two and a half years … People were asking me why did I stay. I’m Memphis, and that’s what made me the person I am today, just having that toughness.” The strength to endure those lean years was fueled by a family that had always modelled sacrifice, resilience, and unwavering faith.
His parents didn’t just cheer from the sidelines. They built the framework that allowed him to survive and ultimately succeed in the face of long odds. While Calvin Austin III’s speed and skill now earn him highlights in Pittsburgh, the foundation of his career was laid in Memphis by two parents who lived by example.
Calvin II and Mimi Austin raised their children with discipline, balance, and unconditional support, ensuring their son could weather any storm on the road to the NFL. Their story is not just about raising a football player. It’s about raising a man whose values reflect the best of what his parents gave him.