Willie McGinest

Retired Three-Time Super Bowl Champion with the New England Patriots

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Los Angeles, CA, USA
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Willie McGinest Biography

The middle of three children, McGinest attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School, where he was a two sport phenom, garnering all-state honors in football and basketball. On the gridiron, he earned All-American recognition from Super Prep, Blue Chip and Tom Lemming magazines and was selected to countless all-star teams, earning all-city, all-state, and all-region honors as a linebacker in 1989. He totaled 107 tackles, including 18 sacks, two fumble recoveries, four passes defensed, including an interception, and blocked four kicks as a senior. On the courts, he earned Long Beach Press-Telegram "Best in the West," All-CIF Southern Section and all-league honors while averaging 14 points per game during the 1989-90 season.

Some of McGinest's classmates at Poly included rappers Snoop Dogg and Warren G., singer Nate Dogg, actress Cameron Diaz, and GC Pro's Paul Henry.

From 1990 to 1993, McGinest played football at the University of Southern California. He wore number 55 and carried on the legacy of the jersey established by his predecessor, All-American linebacker Junior Seau. McGinest earned all-conference honors three straight years and earned All-American acclaim. During his senior year (1993), he was a Lombardi Award finalist, and earned Playboy All-American and All-Pac-10 conference honors. He started every game at weakside defensive end for the Trojans. McGinest finished his collegiate career with 193 tackles (134 solos), 29 sacks (171 yards), 48 tackles for loss (238 yards) and 26 passes batted away, registered 68 tackles (42 solos), including six sacks and 13 tackles for losses, and caused one fumble and recovered another. McGinest received a degree in public administration from USC in 1994.

McGinest was drafted by the New England Patriots in the first round (fourth overall) of the 1994 NFL draft. He had been one of the cornerstones for New England's success in winning the Super Bowl in 2001, 2003, and 2004. He was nominated to the Pro Bowl twice--in 1996 and 2003. At the start of the 2005 season, he ranked fourth among the Patriots all-time sack leaders with 72 career sacks.

In the 2005 wild-card game (which the Pats won 28-3) against the Jacksonville Jaguars, he set an NFL postseason record by recording 4.5 sacks in one game as well as breaking Bruce Smith's record for the most all-time sacks in the postseason with 16 currently. His 78 career sacks rank third all time for the Patriots. The Patriots released the veteran linebacker on March 9, 2006. Although the Patriots weren't struggling to get under the $102 million cap, McGinest carried a cap figure of more than $7 million, which ultimately led to the Patriots' decision to cut him. On March 15, 2006, he signed with the Cleveland Browns, whose head coach, Romeo Crennel, was the Patriots' defensive coordinator. McGinest signed a three-year deal worth $12 million with $6 million in guarantees and bonuses.

When it comes to donating time and money to charitable organizations, McGinest has a solid reputation as being one of the most generous givers in all of sports. He remains dedicated to his native Long Beach, where he established the Willie McGinest Freedom School, a program which aims to provide social and cultural enrichment for neighborhood youth. On May 3, 2005, the city council of Long Beach declared that every year, May 3 will be recognized as Willie McGinest Day in recognition of his longstanding charitable efforts and civic involvement. During the 2004 holiday season, McGinest sponsored "Shop with a Jock," an event that gave 50 Boston-area children the opportunity to go on a $100 shopping spree with him and his teammates.

McGinest owns an entertainment company in Los Angeles called "55 Entertainment." McGinest and his childhood friend Snoop Dogg are also founders and co-owners of Icon Sports + Entertainment, a company geared toward helping athletes realize their potential in the entertainment industry.

FAQs on booking Willie McGinest

  • How do I book Willie McGinest to speak at my event?

    Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Willie McGinest for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Willie McGinest, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Willie McGinest or any other speaker of your choice.
  • What are the speaker fees for Willie McGinest

    Speaking fees for Willie McGinest, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Willie McGinest are for live events and for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Willie McGinest, click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.
  • What topics does Willie McGinest speak about?

    Willie McGinest is a keynote speaker and industry expert whose speaking topics include Football.
  • Where does Willie McGinest travel from?

    Willie McGinest generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA, but can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. For more details, please contact an AAE Booking agent.
  • Who is Willie McGinest’s agent?

    AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully booked keynote speakers like Willie McGinest for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Availability button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Willie McGinest for your next private or corporate function.
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    AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Willie McGinest or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.
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Willie McGinest is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics . The estimated speaking fee range to book Willie McGinest for your event is available upon request. Willie McGinest generally travels from Los Angeles, CA, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Shaun O'Hara, Troy Brown, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison and Drew Bledsoe. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Willie McGinest for an upcoming live or virtual event.

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