Driver FixRecommendedSound, Wi-Fi or graphics acting up? Check drivers firstFind missing or outdated drivers fast.Check DriversOctober DealsAmazon USOctober deal check: compare before you payAmazon US: current deals, useful picks and tech finds.Check DealsPC HealthRecommendedCrashes, freezes, slowdowns? Check your PC nowSpot repairable issues before they interrupt work.Check PC×
Skip to content
The Finance Base
The Money Desk · Blog
Re:

Restaurants Owned, Operated, or Backed by NFL Players: What’s Verified

A reliable current ranking of 15 player-owned restaurants is not established. Here are documented examples, with each player’s reported role and the limits of older status claims.
From TheFinanceBase Team4 min to read
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

There is no reliable, current basis for a ranked list of 15 restaurants that are both open now and directly owned by NFL players. The documented examples below include historical ownership, franchise operation, investment, and chef partnerships—different relationships that should not be treated as equivalent. Status and location details have not been verified as current, so check with each restaurant before planning a visit.

Why this is not a verified “top 15” list

The available reporting does not compare these businesses on a shared measure of food quality, customer ratings, or current operating status. Nor does it establish 15 restaurants that are open today and directly owned by NFL players. Calling them the “top 15” would imply a ranking the evidence cannot support.

Instead, the examples below are grouped by the relationship documented in the cited reporting. The sources are historical or biographical; they provide leads, not confirmation of current hours, locations, ownership stakes, or operation.

Restaurants with reported player partnerships or ownership

One Fifth — Houston

In 2017, the Houston Texans reported that then-player Whitney Mercilus teamed with chef Chris Shepherd to launch One Fifth, described as a five-year project with a changing restaurant concept. The report documents a collaboration, not sole ownership, and does not establish whether the restaurant is operating today. Houston Texans, 2017.

Free tools Windows power users keep installed

One-click scans. No signup required.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Honey Uninhibited — Miami

A 2021 Seattle Seahawks profile said Carlos Dunlap II had opened Honey Uninhibited two years earlier and described it as a brunch restaurant. That profile is evidence of his reported involvement at the time, not confirmation of current ownership or operation. Seattle Seahawks, 2021.

Elway’s — Colorado

A 2024 Nation’s Restaurant News roundup described John Elway as owning a small group of steakhouses under the Elway’s name. Current locations and the ownership structure were not established in the reporting available here, so confirm both directly before visiting. Nation’s Restaurant News, 2024.

Franchise ownership and operation

Franchise ownership means a person owns or operates locations under another company’s brand; it is not the same as owning the restaurant brand itself. A 2015 Buffalo Bills article reported these historical franchise counts for former players:

Former player Brand Reported locations What the report establishes
Tim Biakabatuka Bojangles’ 4 Historical franchise count reported in 2015; current holdings not established.
Angelo Crowell Jersey Mike’s Subs 5 Historical franchise count reported in 2015; current holdings not established.
Van Jakes McDonald’s 3 Historical franchise count reported in 2015; current holdings not established.

These were counts reported by the team article, not independently verified current figures. Buffalo Bills, May 6, 2015.

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

Restaurant investment through a firm

Back Yard Burgers and Wild Wing Café

Nation’s Restaurant News reported in July 2017 that Axum Capital Partners, an investment firm associated with former NFL player Muhsin Muhammad, acquired Back Yard Burgers after an earlier acquisition of Wild Wing Café. This is firm-level investment activity; it does not show that Muhammad personally owned individual restaurant locations or establish the brands’ current portfolio status. Nation’s Restaurant News, July 2017.

John Offerdahl’s restaurant businesses

The Miami Dolphins’ official podcast biography says former player John Offerdahl built Offerdahl’s Bagel Gourmet into a 10-store business before selling it, then returned to the restaurant business with Offerdahl’s Off the Grill. The page does not state when it was published, and it does not establish either business’s current status. The 10-store figure describes the business at an earlier point, not a current count. Miami Dolphins.

Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Support on Ko-Fi

Reported plans and historical leads

A planned steakhouse involving Travis Kelce and Jason Mahomes

The 2024 Nation’s Restaurant News roundup described a planned steakhouse opening in 2025 involving Travis Kelce and Jason Mahomes. A plan reported before that date is not proof that the restaurant opened or that either person held an ownership stake. Later confirmation of the opening and terms is not established here. Nation’s Restaurant News, 2024.

Older names that need current verification

A Food Republic list published in 2012 and updated in 2015 included these additional leads, with historical descriptions or relationship claims:

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.
  • Vince Young Steakhouse
  • Shorts Burger and Shine, with Nate Kaeding described as an investor
  • Billy Sims Barbecue
  • Joe Theismann’s
  • Brett Favre’s Steakhouse
  • Tiffany’s, associated with Tony “Goose” Siragusa in a partnership
  • Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza, associated with Dan Marino
  • Andy Nelson Southern Pit Barbecue

The list’s age means its addresses, menus, business status, and descriptions of player involvement should not be taken as current. Food Republic, 2012; updated 2015.

How to check a restaurant before you go

  1. Look for the restaurant’s official website or social account to confirm it is operating and find its current address and hours.
  2. Check a recent, reliable report for the player’s specific role. “Owner,” “franchisee,” “investor,” “partner,” and “operator” describe different arrangements.
  3. Confirm the location itself is open. A restaurant brand can continue, close, or change ownership after an older player profile was published.

Team profiles can provide useful first-party biographical confirmation, but a dated profile does not establish current operation. A planned opening, an investment by a firm, or a player’s association with a brand likewise does not by itself prove current direct ownership.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.

More post from the Money Desk

  1. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 267 minMortgage Escrow FAQs: Taxes, Insurance, Shortages, and Refunds
  2. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow Mortgage Escrow Accounts Work and What Homeowners Pay For
  3. The Money DeskBlogTheFinanceBase09 OCT 265 minHow to Read a Stock Chart, Volume and Market-Cap Data
Recommended PC Tool
Recommended PC Tool
Windows Errors? Fix Them Before They SpreadFree repair scan
Crashes, No Sound, or Screen Glitches?Free driver scan

Two free Windows tools

One Free Minute Could Fix That PC

Before you go - each of these free tools takes about a minute and tackles what quietly slows a Windows PC down.

Special offer. View Outbyte info, uninstall instructions, EULA, and Privacy Policy.