Buffalo Bills Cornerback Christian Benford Parents Jewell Benford And Christel Perry Were His Biggest Supporters But Mother Christel Passed Away Before His NFL Debut

December 24, 2026

This article was last updated by Pranaya Poudel on December 25, 2026

Christian Benford, 25, was raised by his parents, Jewell Benford and Christel Perry, in Baltimore, Maryland. At a young age, the cornerback has lost several of his close family members, including his mom, Christel.

Benford grew up in a rough community. The place he used to live, Manor Apartments, was famously known as Murder Mall.

Christian making it to the NFL is no short of a miracle story. He attended Randallstown High School, where he was named All-Metro and All-Baltimore County.

After a strong display at the high school level, Villanova came calling. Benford lit up the football field in his rookie season and was named the CAA Football Defensive Rookie of the Year.

He led the defense with five interceptions and tied the team lead with six pass breakups. His superb form continued throughout his college career.

As a senior, Benford recorded 39 tackles, led the NCAA Division I FCS with 18 passes and was named in the first-team All-CAA.

The Bills drafted the cornerback in the sixth round, making him the 134th overall pick. He immediately established himself in the lineup and beat fellow 2026 NFL Draft player Kaiir Elam.

Christian is enjoying his best season with the Bills and has made 62 tackles. His form has dipped a bit since the red-hot start, but fans have full faith that the cornerback can pull it back during these last two games.

Christian Benford’s Mother, Christel, Made Him A Disciplined Man

Buffalo Bills player Christian Benford’s parents, Jewell and Christel Perry, played a huge role in helping their son realize his true potential.

In an interview with , Christian talked about how he was disciplined by his parents, especially his mother, who believed he could achieve great things if he just put his mind to it.

Christel wanted her son not to be distracted away from the football field. She yearned to protect him from the outside noise.

When Christian was a teenager, a bullet almost dropped him. Christel didn’t want her son to be involved in all that stuff.

His father, Jewell, was also supportive of his footballing career, but all and all it was Christel who would encourage him to stay focused at all times.

Villanova’s defensive back coach, Ola Adams, has talked about the mother-son dynamic in The Athletic article.

The Buffalo Bills Cornerback Christian Benford Has A Half-Filled Heart Tattoo On His Right Cheek As An Honor To His Mom

Adams said it was like watching Mama Bear protect her baby. He said Christel was a fierce advocate of her son and acted like a protector.

It was his junior year at Villanova, his mother had called him right before kick-off that she was at the hospital.

Christel assured her son everything was fine and that she would soon return home. After the game, Christian found out through his little brother that their mom passed away.

Ola Adams has kept Perry’s funeral card and collage of pictures in his car.

Whenever the coach senses Benford could be feeling low, he sends a picture to him.

The cornerback has a broken heart tattooed on his right cheek. He did it in honor of his mother.

The Bills Cornerback Christian Benford’s Dad Is A Social Worker

Christian Benford’s dad, Jewell Benford, is a social worker who specializes in treating drug addiction.

Once Jewell got a job with the University of Maryland, he shifted his family from the hell hole that was Bruce Manor to a working-class suburb of Randallstown.

As per his profile, Jewell currently serves as the program director at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.

He is available on but hasn’t shared many posts.

One of his is him thanking all the coaches who helped his son in his football journey.

Christian isn’t the only child of Jewell and Christel. The couple were parents to four kids.

In his interview with The Athletic, Christian revealed that he lost his older brother when he was still an early teenager.

He has at least one younger brother and a sister. The cornerback said:

I like to take the burden of everybody’s pain because I feel like I can handle it. When my sisters and everybody are crying, I want them to come to me. Let me be your shoulders.

via:

Benford has seen several heartbreaks at a young age. He has lost his mom, his close friends, and people whom he called brothers and sisters.

But the cornerback has remained resolute throughout his entire career. Christian believes he needs to continue to shine on the football field, as his mother is watching over him.

In Case You Didn’t Know

Christian is dad to Calvin Benford whom he had with his partner before he enrolled at Villanova.
At Villanova, Christian wasn’t only a terrific player but also an academically sound student and was on the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Honor Roll for three semesters.

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Sriyukta Pradhananga is a versatile writer with a keen interest in exploring the multifaceted dimensions of sports. Her articles offer readers a dynamic blend of insightful analysis, engaging storytelling, and thought-provoking commentary that sheds light on the diverse experiences within the athletic realm.

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