NFL All-Pro Running Back Todd Gurley Talks Being Owner of Pro Football Team (Exclusive)
Todd Gurley can now add professional football team owner to his resume. It was recently announced that the three-time NFL Pro Bowl running back has joined the ownership group of the Fan Controlled Football (FCF) team the Beats, which also includes NFL legend Marshawn Lynch, Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marcus Peters, former WNBA player and Atlanta Dream owner Renee Montgomery and All Elite Wrestling (AEW) star Miro. In an exclusive interview with PopCulture.com, Gurley talked about the process of becoming an owner in a young pro football league, which started with going to one of the tryouts in February.
"I happened to just be there that weekend and, just seeing the whole setup, man, it was just legit and being able to just see everything on social media," Gurley exclusively told PopCulture. "But not only that I think having the talks last year, but just being able to just see this season myself, just on social media, just seeing other guys, obviously guys like Johnny Manziel and then you have Terrell Owens being involved. So being able to just see that man and go to the game this past week for my first experience, it was definitely like... It was surreal."
FCF was founded in 2017 with games debuting last year. It's a 7-on-7 professional indoor football league controlled by fans, and that means fans get to call the plays. All the games are played at the Pullman Yards in Atlanta, and the league consists of eight teams. "Obviously just having the fans be involved and in control, I just think that's like a super, dope aspect," Gurley said. "Most of the fans, as they always say, they say, 'We pay your salary anyway.' So for fans to be able to control the play, to make trades and different stuff like that."
"I just think it's a great aspect of just the future of everything that's going on. And then obviously, being able to have NFTs and the Web3 coming along, having guys like Steve Aoki, but not only that, we had a comedian side in Druski, and then the entertainment side and Quavo, and obviously Marshawn, and then after that Renee Montgomery, Atlanta's own being part owner of the Dream. So just be able to just have a variety of different, not only athletes, entertainers and entrepreneurs just together and brand excitement to the league."
Gurley, who played for the Los Angeles Rams and Atlanta Falcons, never thought he would own an NFL team, but is happy he has joined the FCF. "I'm definitely glad that this league is around it and to be a part of something," he said. "Not only that, man, guys out there having fun and it's some good talent, some great talent at that, man. So to be able to have guys like [Terrell Owens], not only that like, play out there, is 48 years old. So just goes to show you what you can do when you take care of your body and you still train and then not only that, how many kids can say that they play with T.O.?"