Who: Former NFL player, Gryppers co-founder and entrepreneur DaJuan Morgan
What: The St-Germain Cooler paired with the new Avocado Toast 3 Ways of multi-grain toast topped with mashed Hass avocados, vine-ripened tomato, pepper-crusted bacon and a sunny-side-up egg; the new Korean BBQ Wings of crispy chicken wings tossed with made-from-scratch sweet and tangy Duffy’s Korean barbecue sauce, dusted with nori; and the new Sesame-Crusted Ahi Tuna of seasoned, seared tuna in sesame oil, served with cucumber salad and Soba noodles in Asian dressing.
Where: Duffy’s Sports Grill, 721 Village Blvd., West Palm Beach / 561.688.1820 duffysmvp.com / @DuffysMVP
1) In hindsight, something that I probably wasn’t fully prepared for when I went away to play college football at North Carolina State was: being homesick. I called my mom as soon as I got there. I just wanted to hear her voice. When she answered I got choked up. Then my big brother reminded me why I was there in the first place.
2) The first thing I thought when I was selected by the Kansas City Chiefs in the 2008 NFL Draft was: that I finally did it. I was crying. My mom came running out of her bedroom and just fell into my arms. I had been in a car accident that cost me my senior season of high school football. Fifteen days before the accident a tornado had ravaged our home. I actually saw it coming. I told everyone to get in the closet. It was total devastation. But now here I am—I got the call, and now I’m ready to become a Kansas City Chief.
3) The first thing I bought with my very first NFL paycheck was: a brand new 2008 GMC Denali. I never had a car of my own before. I wanted something brand new off the lot that nobody had ever driven. I had a custom interior made and everything. It was something for me, a gift to reward myself for all of my hard work.
4) When I was a little boy, I thought one day I would: run in the Olympics. I got into track after watching Michael Johnson. There was just something about the way he ran. Seeing all of the different nations, the flashes coming from the crowd, I always knew I was supposed to be on the big stage doing something big. When that starter’s gun goes off it’s just the track and me.
5) The reason we started our company, Gryppers, a sports technology brand, was: because I believed in the concept. I knew there was a need for this product. It was a game-changer, and for me it was a life-changer. It all started with just an idea drawn on an airplane napkin, but we knew there was a market for it.
Raised in Riviera Beach, DaJuan Morgan played three years of college football at North Carolina State before being selected by the Kansas City Chiefs 82nd overall in the 2008 NFL Draft. Following his playing career, Morgan returned to school to complete his education, earning a bachelor’s of science in sports management. In January 2012, Morgan and former college teammate Jamelle Eugene launched Gryppers, a protective compression wear product for athletes. In 2017, Morgan was named student athlete director of Student ACES, a Palm Beach County organization that provides leadership programs, mentoring, scholarships and internship opportunities for high school students. With his wife and four children, Morgan currently resides in Miramar.
About The Cocktail
St-Germain Cooler
3 ounces La Marca Prosecco, chilled
3 ounces San Pellegrino sparking water, chilled
1 ounce St-Germain Elderflower liqueur
Combine ingredients in a highball glass, stir and garnish with a lemon twist.
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