May 15, 2008
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When you spend the better portion of the first 30 years of your life focusing all of your energy on playing football and putting forth the necessary hours of training it takes to continue playing, the adjustment it takes to make the change to life after football can oftentimes be a rude awakening. You hear stories all the time about former players struggling to make the transition to a life without shoulder pads and helmets.
It is rare for the stories to be told of players who have made the adjustment to life without football and are enjoying successful business careers. One of those players who has made a successful transition to the business world is former Vanderbilt linebacker and seven-year NFL veteran Jamie Duncan.
A two time All-American and the 1997 Southeastern Conference Defensive Player of the Year, Duncan starred for the Commodores from 1994-97 before being selected in the third round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After enjoying a seven-year NFL career that included stops in Tampa and St. Louis before his final stop in Atlanta in 2004, Duncan has spent his time focusing on business ventures.
The Wilmington, Del., native owns a hairstyling studio in Bear, Del.; is a co-owner of a restaurant and bar in Daytona, Fla.; and has teamed up with St. Louis Rams defensive back and former Vanderbilt teammate Corey Chavous in the real estate business.
“I’ve been putting my hand in everything I can and learning as much as I can,” Duncan said. “I’ve got more time on my hands, so I’ve got time to explore. I never envisioned myself opening a bar or a restaurant, but the opportunity presented itself, and I said I’d give it a shot.”
Duncan’s first venture into the business world, and one that he is still involved with, began in 1999 in the real estate industry with Chavous. The two purchase properties around the country, fix them up and resell them. What began with Duncan purchasing a condo in Tampa has turned into a nationwide endeavor.
“We try to go around the country (when we make purchases) because we know a lot of people and have a lot of different contacts,” Duncan said. “We have properties in Delaware, Atlanta, Tampa, St. Louis and Arizona – places that we played that we are familiar with. We definitely didn’t have any expertise when we started.”
Duncan’s second endeavor took him back to his home state, where he’s owned a hair styling studio called Synergy Styling Studio since 2001. His latest challenge came a little over a year ago when he partnered with a friend to co-own a bar, Tattoo Tavern.
Since finishing football, Duncan has been able to fill the void in time by immersing himself more in his businesses and broadening his experiences in ways such as co-owning the bar and restaurant.
“I had started a couple of small businesses my first couple of years in the league, and when I finished playing, it just gave me a little bit more time to dive into those and be more involved firsthand,” Duncan said. “I can now put more energy into my businesses, and I’m just trying to figure out what the next step is going to be.”
In getting involved with the Tattoo Tavern, Duncan hopes that his experiences will help him with his next business and the ones he has now.
“I thought it would be an interesting way to learn the service side of what I plan to do in terms of Corey and I expanding (our real estate) business and any opportunities in the future,” Duncan said.
Keeping three businesses straight can be a challenge, but Duncan believes his time spent at Vanderbilt has been beneficial to his business career.
“It’s just a matter of organizing, and I think that is where my time at Vanderbilt comes in,” Duncan said. “Just being able to prioritize my time is the biggest challenge. It’s a lot more responsibility than I could have ever envisioned.”
Even though Duncan now makes his home in Tampa, he still keeps tabs on Vanderbilt athletics. Duncan recently got together with Chavous to reach out to wide receiver Earl Bennett and provide him with any support or advice he may need as he prepares for the NFL Draft.
“We just told him that this is a big moment, and we tried to give him advice,” Duncan said. “He knows the importance of (the NFL Combine and Pro Day), but we just tried to emphasize the overall importance and the mentality that you have to have as you are preparing because this is the first big step of what he is wanting to accomplish. It starts with his approach at the workouts and his mentality.”
Duncan is unsure of what his next venture will be, but he hopes it gets him back into football. If his credentials as a two-time All-American and seven-year NFL veteran aren’t enough, than maybe his ability get messages across to current players should be.
The advice he and Chavous gave to Bennett may or may not have had an impact on Bennett’s performance at the NFL Combine, but it couldn’t have hurt. Bennett went out and performed better than most draft pundits expected, running a 4.48 in the 40-yard dash.
“I would like to get into football in some form or fashion whether it is scouting or whatever,” Duncan said. “I’m not sure I want to go the coaching route, but it is something I wouldn’t mind trying. Even though I haven’t played the last three years I definitely stay up with it. I’m just a fantasy football geek like everyone else.”
