Ty Warren: A Tribute to College Athletics
Oct 28, 2010
The end of the interview, after the camera was turned off says more than anything Ty Warren said during our 11 minute discussion on Thursday. Upon ending the interview with "That’s Ty Warren, Former Texas Aggie football player, Super Bowl champion and current A&M student," Warren added "AND husband and father of four.
For the past 8 years, Warren has been a mainstay on the defensive line for the New England Patriots after being selected as the 13th pick in the 2003 NFL draft. Now he’s sitting out this season after injuring his hip in training camp, and most importantly he’s staying true to a promise he made to his grandfather (who passed away while he was still in college) and his mother: no matter what happens in the NFL, he’ll finish his degree.
It’s a far cry from the thuggery that’s often displayed on Sports Center highlights and the headlines of pro athletes gone wrong.
He’s impressive, certainly in size, but when you sit and talk with him you realize Ty Warren is somebody who recognizes he has an athletic gift. He’s using it to better himself and help the community around him.
He’s started the First and Goal Foundation with his wife as a community outreach program. He used his personal experience where he was completely unprepared for college because he says "I was challenged in school, but I wasn’t challenged at home." The organization’s aim is to help high school students learn about important life skills and help them understand what it takes to succeed. Because as Warren says, "it’s a different ring when it’s Ty Warren from Bryan (Texas), the Texas A&M Wrecking Crew, and graduate."
