The first sentence of Domonique Foxworth’s new book is all one needs to understand how much the former Terrapin football player differs from the typical gridiron grunt.
He quotes Helen Keller, whose description of the “tiny pushes of each honest worker” that make the world go round is something Foxworth has taken to heart ever since he was a child and carried over into his student and professional careers.
The 23-year old Denver Bronco who helped his team advance to the AFC championship game values more than just the fame and fortune that comes with his NFL career. He is fully conscious of the duties that come with good fortune, and since his productive rookie season the cornerback with a good conscience has published a collection of his journal entries from his first year in professional football, volunteered large amounts of time to educational charities and enrolled in classes at Harvard University.
“I have always believed that our sports and entertainment-obsessed society has placed a disproportionate and dangerous emphasis on the world of entertainment,” he writes in the introduction to On The Island, a compilation of weekly journal entries published in the Denver Post last season.
Ever since he was a student at the university, he wanted to promote education and “break the stereotype of the black athlete. It’s important for me to come across as educated,” he said.
One interaction on the campus in particular inspired his desire to be role model for young adults. He writes in his book that a group he formed, called Students Taking Action for the Future, once hosted a visit for male middle schoolers wanting to see the campus.
He asked each of them about their dream career. Without fail, student after student said he wanted to be a professional athlete. Their second choice was to be a rapper – and with that his commitment to education was cemented.
In April, Foxworth, the university’s 2005 student-athlete of the year, took off from his normal 8 a.m. to noon workouts in Denver to take NFL-sponsored business classes at Harvard University. The 30 or so players in attendance, including former Pro Bowlers Eddie George and Troy Vincent, learned entrepreneurial management lessons they can put to use when their playing careers are over.
“I like being busy,” Foxworth said. “I just feel worthless if I’m not busy doing something.”
As his career is just getting underway, Foxworth was by far the youngest NFL player at Harvard (George is 32, Vincent, 34). Yet being ahead of his time is nothing new for Foxworth, who graduated from both high school and college a semester early.
“I get reminded all the time, all the time,” said Foxworth, recalling nights in college when he played the “father” role to his drunk friends. Foxworth has never felt a need to drink; his lifelong alcohol consumption consists of a glass of Remy Martin cognac he had promised a teammate after the Terps’ 2004 upset of Florida State.
But he has not always been so exceptional. Foxworth admits he struggled with academics for a bit, though he managed to get his GPA back to around a 3.0 by graduation. He also admits to splurging on a large home (four bedrooms for his dog and him) and the occasional luxury ($250 sunglasses). And he admits his service efforts are partially motivated by a desire to build a better brand name for himself.
Despite his flaws and successes, he fundamentally believes in humility and hard work. He saves money whenever possible – usually flying coach and getting discounts with his university ID. And he could have chosen other ways to promote himself visiting a half-dozen Boys and Girls Clubs of Metro Denver, as he will this summer.
All in all, it’s the makeup of a man who Cindy Galloway Kellogg calls “rare and exceptional.” Kellogg, vice president of community development for the Broncos, helped Foxworth organize a tour to promote summer reading.
Partially he’s motivated by a need to give back to those who raised him.
“All of my success academically and athletically I owe to my parents,” said Foxworth, who dedicated his book to his mom and dad. Lorinzo and Karen Foxworth were the ones who introduced him to higher education by taking him to visit College Park and Chapel Hill, home of the University of North Carolina
“When I was a kid all my parents talked about was going to college,” he said. “There was no question for me. Education was important.”
So important that after he was drafted in the third round of the 2005 NFL Draft, he began to work closely with Ambassadors for Literacy, a Denver-based program that tries to show preschoolers the value of reading. All proceeds from On The Island go to the organization.
Whitney LeBoeuf, the program’s co-coordinator, said she has been “overjoyed” by the affiliation with Foxworth. She also said the program’s ambassadors – exceptionally bright students from poor backgrounds – are smitten with the player.
“They’re just totally amazed by him,” said LeBoeuf, who was among a group of people from the organization scheduled to have lunch with Foxworth today. “They think he’s incredibly bright, motivated, more down to earth than I think they expected a Broncos player to be. He’s very passionate about education and doesn’t really bring up the Broncos part of his life unless he’s asked.”
Foxworth and Ambassadors for Literacy were paired together by Karen Foxworth, who was asked by her son before the season started to find him a charitable organization he could partner with.
Karen and her husband moved from Randallstown to a townhouse five miles from their son’s house after he was drafted. The move made sense for parents who have been to every one of their son’s games – home or away, preseason or playoffs – since he was 8 years old.
“They’re probably my best friends,” Foxworth said. “We go to the movies, we go to the mall.”
Foxworth credited his parents’ support for him having a successful first season. He had 86 tackles, two interceptions and one fumble recovery his first season, which included being named Rookie of the Week after his first start.
Whether the initial success forebodes a 10-year, Pro Bowl-filled career is unknown, of course. But Foxworth said his level of education – and sky-high confidence level – make him comfortable considering life after the NFL.
“You don’t have to be a millionaire,” he said, echoing a lesson he has told youngsters. “Be a good man.”
Former Terp CB Domonique Foxworth now plays for the Denver Broncos, who lost in last year’s AFC Championship game to Pittsburgh.
The Foxworth File
Games Played 18
Games Started 9
Forced Fumbles 1
Passes Defended 19
Tackles 86
Solo Tackles 72
Interceptions 2
Contact reporter Brendan Lowe at lowedbk@gmail.com
