Former NFL Running Back Warrick Dunn Talks Being Minority Owner of Atlanta Falcons (Exclusive)

Warrick Dunn had a strong NFL career, spending six seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. Following his career, the former NFL running back became a minority owner of the Falcons in 2009, making him one of the few people of color to be part of the ownership of an NFL team. PopCulture.com spoke exclusively to Dunn in September at the Black Ownership in Sports Symposium in Atlanta, and he talked about his experience as an investor of the Falcons. 

"I don't think you really understand it," Dunn exclusively told PopCulture. "Coming in when I came in, you don't understand it because it's not like a normal investment where you get the return back in a year or two. But it's actually been really, really good because of the experience, because of, I think the man, [Falcons majority owner Arthur Blank], his openness just to give me an opportunity when being a former player, my perspective is going to be a lot different than everyone else's. So I think just overall, it's been a great experience because it's been about growth as well. So I've been able to grow and learn more and experience more."

Dunn spoke at the symposium that included 200 students, business leaders and former professional athletes who wanted to know more about getting into sports ownership. "I think questions were really directed to be informative, and I just tried to obviously be open and real about the journey and my journey, but also what the opportunities could be for other individuals who look like me, he said about the fireside chat. "It was a good time though. I enjoyed it."

When Dunn spoke to the group, he talked about how Falcons majority owner Arthur Blank asked him to be part of the ownership team. He told PopCulture that the biggest thing he learned from Blank is how much of a "go-getter" he is. "Now that he's a lot older, he's slowing down a little bit, but he's someone that is thinking about the future and planning, but also not just caring about how he's living, but he wants to also impact other people," Dunn explained. "I think that's probably the balance that we have is that he's just not thinking about himself, but thinking about how he could impact other people, how he can impact the community around him, how some of his issues, how can he address those?" 

Dunn continued: "I've learned a lot and seen the way that he's carried himself, his mannerisms and those things. It's just been really good to watch and just how he is always on point with things." During his playing career, Dunn was selected to the Pro Bowl three times and won the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award in 2004 which is given to the player who made the most impact in his community.