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Damon Dunn

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Damon Dunn
Personal information
Born: (1976-03-15) March 15, 1976 (age 48)
Fort Worth, Texas
Career information
College:Stanford
Undrafted:1998
Career history
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
  • First-team Academic All-Pac-10 (1997)
  • First-team All-Pac-10 (1995)
Career NFL statistics as of 2000
Games played:5
Receiving yards:6
Receptions:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference Edit this at Wikidata

Damon Jerrel Dunn (born March 15, 1976) is an American politician, minister, and retired football player. Dunn was the Republican nominee for California Secretary of State in 2010.

Early life

Dunn was born in 1976 in Fort Worth, Texas to a 16-year-old mother, Ramona Dunn. When Dunn was three years old his father, Texas Longhorns starting fullback Mike Lockett, was killed in a car accident.[1][2] Dunn grew up in a trailer on his grandparents' farm.[3] Dunn was an honor student in Sam Houston High School in Arlington, Texas and an All-State Texas football player.[3][4]

College

After high school Dunn attended Stanford University on a football scholarship after being recruited by Bill Walsh. Dunn also ran track at Stanford. At Stanford Dunn was coached by Tyrone Willingham and Dunn has said he viewed him as a father figure, having grown up without a male role model in his life. While at Stanford Dunn set numerous records and was awarded a NCAA Academic Scholarship, All-PAC 10 Honors and Academic All-Pac 10 Honors, and the NFL and College Hall of Fame Award.[4] During his career at Stanford Dunn participated as a associate pastor in the Jerusalem Baptist Church, where he managed youth ministries.[1]

NFL career

Dunn graduated from Stanford in 1998 with a degree in public policy.[4] He was not picked in the 1998 NFL Draft.[5] The season after he graduated from Stanford, Dunn was on the practice squad of the National Football League team Jacksonville Jaguars.[6] Dunn then played for the Cleveland Browns in 1999. The next year, Dunn played in the Berlin Thunder of NFL Europe, the New York Jets of the NFL, and the Browns in 2000.[7] In 2001, Dunn played for the XFL team Los Angeles Xtreme; the XFL folded after that season.[8] Dunn joined Dallas Cowboys training camp before the 2001 NFL season.[6] He left the NFL after being injured there.[3]

Other ventures

After retiring from the NFL, Dunn co-founded a successful real estate company doing work across the country.[3]

Secretary of State candidacy

In 2009, Dunn announced that he would run for California Secretary of State as a Republican, challenging incumbent Democrat Debra Bowen. He explained why he chose to be a Republican: "No entitlement program got me out of poverty. It was hard work."[3] Additionally, the Los Angeles Sentinel quoted Dunn: "There are a lot of African Americans that are conservative fiscally and socially as well, but we don't have the welcoming face in the Republican Party."[1] In the May 2009 special election, Dunn voted for the first time; he voted against all of the budget propositions 1A through 1E.[3] While playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dunn registered to vote as a Democrat in 1999; that registration expired in 2005.[9]

Dunn stated that he was unfamiliar with the American electronic voting controversy when he announced his candidacy.[10] The San Francisco Chronicle endorsed Dunn for the June 2010 primary.[11] Ronnie Lott, a Hall of Fame NFL player, endorsed Dunn the following month.[12] In the election, which took place on November 2, 2010, Bowen won with 53.1% of the vote; Dunn finished with 38.6%; Dunn won his home county of Orange, with 54.1% of the vote.[13]

Personal life

While in the NFL, Dunn worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation visiting kids with terminal diseases. Dunn started the Fighting Giants Ministry that ministers to children with life changing injuries. Dunn has also worked with St. Augustine Soup Kitchen, the Cops-N-Kids program and the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Dunn served as president of his local Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and has spoken nationally at FCA events. Dunn has one dog name Jules and a cat named Vincent in reference to the movie "Pulp Fiction". Dunn is also a licensed Baptist minister and a member of Saddleback Baptist Church.[14] He lives in Irvine, California.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c Barnes, Evan (December 10, 2009). "Damon Dunn: Republican for State Office". Los Angeles Sentinel. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  2. ^ DeVaughn, Mark (January 11, 2010). "Damon Dunn for CA Sec. of State!". The Bootleg. Scout.com. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Skelton, George (December 24, 2009). "Stanford football hero warms up for a statewide run". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c "1997 Graduated Senior Bios". GoStanford.com. CBS Sports. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  5. ^ "The Positions: WR". CNNSI.com. April 13, 1998. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  6. ^ a b FitzGerald, Tom (August 7, 2001). "Dunn is a Cowboy with a tale to tell". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  7. ^ http://www.nfl.com/players/damondunn/profile?id=DUN527300
  8. ^ "Damon Dunn". all-xfl.com. Retrieved December 30, 2010.
  9. ^ Kornhaber, Spencer (March 8, 2010). "Orly Taitz's Claims About Damon Dunn's Eligilibity: False!". OC Weekly blogs. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  10. ^ Marinucci, Carla (November 12, 2009). "GOP candidate Damon Dunn only voted once". San Francisco Chronicle. pp. A1.
  11. ^ "Chronicle endorsements". San Francisco Chronicle. June 8, 2010. p. A15.
  12. ^ Marinucci, Carla (July 28, 2010). "CA GOP Sec of State candidate Damon Dunn, former NFL player, lands endorsement of Hall of Famer Ronnie Lott". San Francisco Chronicle Politics Blog. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  13. ^ "Secretary of State results (November 2, 2010)" (PDF). California Secretary of State. Retrieved December 31, 2010.
  14. ^ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mCNJQ5MhJIE

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