Warrick Dunn

Warrick Dunn is a former American football running back who participated in the NFL for twelve seasons. He was picked by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, following his college football career at Florida State. Dunn was named AP NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 1997, awarded the Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year in 2004, received the Bart Starr Award in 2009, and earned three Pro Bowl selections during his career. His jersey number 28 is honored by his alma mater, Florida State Seminoles, and he is also a member of the Atlanta Falcons Ring of Honor.

Dunn achieved significant success during his NFL career, playing five seasons with the Buccaneers, six seasons with the Falcons, and then one final year with the Buccaneers. He retired from the NFL 14th all-time in all-purpose yards with 15,306 and 19th in rushing yards with 10,967. Dunn holds at least 11 Falcons franchise records, including Rush Yards and Rushing TDs in playoffs. He also holds 5 Buccaneers franchise records, including Receptions in a game and All Purpose Yards in a playoff season. Moreover, Dunn was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame for his impressive collegiate career.

Following his retirement, Dunn became a minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons in March 2010, with the aim of expanding his knowledge and experience in NFL team management, branding, and operations. He has also authored his autobiography "Running For My Life" in 2008, discussing personal challenges including his mother's murder and his battles with depression.

Off the field, Dunn is renowned for his philanthropic efforts. As a rookie for Tampa Bay, he established the Homes for the Holidays program in 1997 to fulfill his mother’s dream of home ownership for single parent families. The program partners with local organizations to turn houses into homes for single parent families through home furnishings and down-payment assistance. Since its inception, Homes for the Holidays has furnished 169 homes, provided over $800,000 in down-payment assistance, and served over 457 single parents and children. This program is housed under the Warrick Dunn Charities, which he founded in 2002.

Warrick Dunn Charities, celebrating 21 years of service, has expanded into three additional programs: Count on Your Future, Sculpt, and Hearts for Community Service Scholarships. Together, the four programs are dedicated to strengthening and transforming communities by combating poverty, hunger, and improving the quality of lives for families academically, socially, and economically. For his unwavering dedication to community service, Dunn has been recognized with the Giant Steps Award in civic leadership from former President Bill Clinton, the NFLPA Alan Page Community Award in 2008, and the Walter Camp Man of the Year Award in 2016 among others.