Sports Radio Interviews

Warrick Dunn is Now Part Owner of the Atlanta Falcons

Arthur Blank is the proud owner of the Atlanta Falcons and he has continually improved the team ever since he bought it back in 2002. Former Atlanta Falcons running back Warrick Dunn has an agreement to buy a piece of the team he once played for. Dunn, who played sparingly last season for Tampa Bay, had originally thought about continuing his career but as reality set in, he thought that moving on to the next phase of his life would be the best thing for him. So he decided to buy a minority stake in the Falcons. Dunn spent twelve seasons in the NFL playing for both the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Atlanta Falcons. He was only the seventh player in NFL history to reach 10,000 yards rushing and 4,000 yards receiving.

Dunn is already well-known in the community for his volunteer work, including the Home for the Holidays program that helps single parents in becoming first-time home owners. Dunn will add another dimension to the ownership group and give insightful information to them about players and what it is like to be on the other side of the business. There hasn’t been much to cheer for lately as the Falcons have lost six out of their last eight games but this gets me excited as a Falcons fan. This is just another reason that I am excited for the Atlanta Falcons franchise moving forward in a positive direction.

Warrick Dunn joined 680 The Fan in Atlanta Buck and Kincade to talk about whether people should now call him owner, how this came together and whether this was something that he always wanted to do, and being excited to learn about the business side of the NFL.

Whether people have to call him owner now:

“Yeah you have to call me owner now. I am in an elite class. I am honored to be a part of it. It is a great group of men and women that are owners in the NFL and a great organization like the Falcons. It is a dream. It is a dream. I don’t mind you calling me owner.”

On how this came together and whether this was something that he always wanted to do:

“Well I talked about it two years ago and I mentioned it to Rich McKay and Mr. Blank. You know we are always joking around. This past year of course I wanted to play football. I just felt like I could still play the game. You wait around, you workout, I got offers; I just couldn’t quite get the right situation for myself and this opportunity presented itself. Mr. Blank felt comfortable enough with me to really give me an opportunity to be in an elite group. So I have to thank Mr. Blank. He has done a lot for me and my family. I give him all the credit for presenting me with this situation.”

On being excited to learn about the business side of the NFL:

“It is. It is a different game and obviously the business side is definitely different so hopefully I can learn the ins and outs. A lot of things that we don’t care about as players are behind the walls and I have a great opportunity to learn from a Mr. Blank, Rich McKay and Thomas Dimitroff. You get to learn from those guys for a bit and really get to broaden my eyes and my horizon with the game of football.”

On it being a great thing for him to accomplish being a minority having part ownership in a team:

“Well you have to dream and have goals with a plan in place and I did that. Times are changing. It just can’t be the old, grumpy men who are all of the owners. Now you have young, new vibrant people like myself. Hopefully I can bring a different aspect and hopefully learn a lot from those guys. You have great businessman and owners for a reason. You have to take heat for what they accomplished but also learn some things and take those things in my own life.”

On this being a good story in a time that has been bad for the Falcons with all of the off-field stuff and losing:

“Well obviously now I have to root for the Falcons no matter what but I have always rooted for those guys. Injuries are part of the game. You have the ups and downs. I think we have a good, young nucleus that they have acquired over the last few years. A great coach in Mike Smith and I think there time is going to come. You are going to have those ups and downs. It is a part of the game but then you have to worry about being consistent and playing consistent football on both sides of the ball. Those guys are going to go through some growing pains. I see them improving quickly.”

Warrick Dunn joined Buck and Kincade to talk about becoming part owner of the Falcons

Tags: Arthur Blank, Atlanta Falcons, city of Atlanta, community based leader, elite class of people, NFL, Owners, ownership, running the football to signing checks, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Warrick Dunn