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How did you become interested in your chosen career?
With football, I go way back. I started in 7th grade, but quit after only one day. It was way too much contact for me at the time.
I didn’t grow up thinking about being a professional football player too much. I just liked being a kid, and enjoyed my childhood, playing all sports and staying off the streets.
In my sophomore year, I started taking ball seriously, and because of that I got noticed.
I ended up going to LSU to play, and then continued on as a 4th round draft pick in 2002.
It’s been a life filled with a lot of football since then. But fortunately, a lot of other things as well.
I graduated from LSU in construction engineering. I always knew that I’d end up doing something with art. I loved it all throughout school.
It was a tough major for me. A lot of work, but I kept at it. I knew that I had to prepare myself for a life after football. We athletes can have a pretty short shelf life.
When I built my home in Baton Rouge about six years ago, I got to know one of my neighbors, Nathian Hossley. We had a bond, and a great friendship was started.
He was in the construction business, and I’d go over to his house and look at blue prints and plans.
When I got released from the Denver Broncos, I joined up with Nathian, and this is something I’ll be doing for the rest of my life.
We run First Millennium Construction. We handle a lot of federal government contracts, and were named among the Top 5 minority businesses in Louisiana.
Even though I’m still a ball player, I’m as hands on in the business as I can be.
What do you enjoy most about your position?
I love that I’m in a position to be able to do some good. My face and name have allowed me to be involved in successful charity work. I set up the Jarvis Green Foundation after Hurricane Katrina. We help disadvantaged, single working mothers in Louisiana, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
We hold a number of events each year that allow us to assist with things like tuition for these mothers and their children, car payments, books, food, utilities, you name it. We actually have an event on May 27 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center at LSU, the South Louisiana Wine Tasting. You can have a look on my Web site, jarvisgreen.com if you’d like to be a part of it.
How did you become interested in your chosen career?
With football, I go way back. I started in 7th grade, but quit after only one day. It was way too much contact for me at the time.
I didn’t grow up thinking about being a professional football player too much. I just liked being a kid, and enjoyed my childhood, playing all sports and staying off the streets.
In my sophomore year, I started taking ball seriously, and because of that I got noticed.
I ended up going to LSU to play, and then continued on as a 4th round draft pick in 2002.
It’s been a life filled with a lot of football since then. But fortunately, a lot of other things as well.
I graduated from LSU in construction engineering. I always knew that I’d end up doing something with art. I loved it all throughout school.
It was a tough major for me. A lot of work, but I kept at it. I knew that I had to prepare myself for a life after football. We athletes can have a pretty short shelf life.
When I built my home in Baton Rouge about six years ago, I got to know one of my neighbors, Nathian Hossley. We had a bond, and a great friendship was started.
He was in the construction business, and I’d go over to his house and look at blue prints and plans.
When I got released from the Denver Broncos, I joined up with Nathian, and this is something I’ll be doing for the rest of my life.
We run First Millennium Construction. We handle a lot of federal government contracts, and were named among the Top 5 minority businesses in Louisiana.
Even though I’m still a ball player, I’m as hands on in the business as I can be.
What do you enjoy most about your position?
I love that I’m in a position to be able to do some good. My face and name have allowed me to be involved in successful charity work. I set up the Jarvis Green Foundation after Hurricane Katrina. We help disadvantaged, single working mothers in Louisiana, Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
We hold a number of events each year that allow us to assist with things like tuition for these mothers and their children, car payments, books, food, utilities, you name it. We actually have an event on May 27 at the Lod Cook Alumni Center at LSU, the South Louisiana Wine Tasting. You can have a look on my Web site, jarvisgreen.com if you’d like to be a part of it.
Is there a specific achievement during your career that you are the most proud of?
I’d have to say that winning two Super Bowl championships rank up there pretty high, but even higher is the fact that I had a Plan B. I always knew there would come a time when football was no longer an option. I hope to have another three to four years to be able to play, but having a successful Plan B has made life much less of a worry for myself and my family.
Any advice for someone wishing to follow in your footsteps?
Adversity makes us all that much stronger. It really does. My advice would be to keep your head up, always, and stay positive. Even when things don’t go your way. Thank God for the ups and the downs, because it’s all a learning tool.
