Jaguars defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot delivers newborn daughter at home

Jacksonville Jaguars defensive lineman Dawuane Smoot was permitted to have Wednesday off from practice by coach Urban Meyer.

He earned it after having a day he will never forget 24 hours earlier.

The Jaguars confirmed Smoot unexpectedly delivered his newborn daughter, Ahlani Moon Smoot, in the living room of their home in Jacksonville at 4 a.m. Tuesday.

Smoot and his wife, Aumari, did not have enough time to make it to the hospital. The couple was about to leave their house when Aumari collapsed, and Smoot managed to catch her.

Soon afterward, Smoot was on the phone with the paramedics as they talked him through the entire process, including tying the umbilical cord.

Both mother and daughter are doing well, which was confirmed by Smoot Wednesday morning after he arrived at TIAA Bank Field to take his required COVID-19 test before leaving promptly to return to the hospital to be with his wife and newborn.

Smoot tweeted later in the day on Tuesday - The Real Hero Mom-of- the Year, AumariShatwan. Thank you for giving birth to our beautiful daughter in 1 hour!!! strong woman.''

Meyer informed the team of the news Tuesday afternoon. And Smoot's teammates had plenty of praise for him after Wednesday's practice.

Outside linebacker K'Lavon Chaisson joked when he first heard that Smoot delivered his newborn that the news took him aback.

''When I heard the story I thought he was BS'ing and just trying to sound like a movie, but the fact that it happen is a cool story,'' Chaisson said. ''It's a blessing and I can't wait for him to come back.''

Outside linebacker Josh Allen said he couldn't see it happening to anybody but Smoot.

''You know what I mean, he is one of those guys who is just more prepared,'' Allen said. ''He really doesn't overreact and his wife is like the same. You know I love them both. It's definitely a blessing and I'm glad that everything went smoothly.''

On his Instagram account, Smoot wrote that he and his wife dreamt of having their second child, first daughter, but nothing could prepare them for this.

''Seeing you collapse on the floor while walking out the door to the hospital was the scariest moment of my life,'' Smoot wrote. ''But seeing your strength to stay calm and not panic allowed me to realize everything was going to be okay. God had our back.

''I can't thank you enough for being such a strong woman and bringing our daughter Ahlani Moon Smoot into this world at home. You are a true warrior. I trust God and the path he has my family on. I thank him for looking after my wife, Ahlani, Ahmir, and myself all this time. I will always owe you.''

Knowing his wife's expected due date would be after this past Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, Smoot made the trip to London with the team. Smoot started and had two tackles and one quarterback hit during the Jaguars' 23-20 victory that snapped their 20-game losing streak that dated to last season.

Allen, who has three children, acknowledges that it can be stressful for players going on road trips when they know their wife's due date is approaching.

''In college, with my first child, we had a bowl game and it was due date weekend,'' Allen said of his wife, Kaitlyn Morrison-Allen. ''So I'm like playing for a phone call. But I can only imagine that stress that he (Smoot) and (punter) Logan Cooke had. You know the baby can come anytime. So you know it's always a little stressful.''

Cooke said if his his wife Mary had not yet given birth before the Jaguars took their trip to London last Thursday, he would have stayed behind in Jacksonville — with coach Urban Meyer's blessing.

However, the Cookie's newborn son, Cooper Jack Cooke, was born Monday (Oct.11), 26 hours after the Jaguars lost to the Tennessee Titans at TIAA Bank Field.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Dawuane Smoot, Jaguars DE, delivers his newborn baby in living room