John Offerdahl, The Linesman, The Chef & The Entrepreneur
I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing former NFL Miami Dolphins Legend Linebacker, John Offerdahl. With a personality larger than life and a smile that lights up the room, John is always on a mission to give back and make the world a better place through his involvement in various charitable organizations. As the founder of the Walgreens Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival Presented by UHealth Clinics at Walgreens, John brings the ultimate celebrity culinary competition for charity to life each year In South Florida.
Thank you, John, for giving so much to those in need!
“It gets amazingly close to the adrenaline rush I received from smacking a running back on the goal line or hearing a coach Shula half-time pep talk.”
What is your “backstory”?
I was born in Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin in 1964. My mother taught furniture refinishing (she called herself jokingly, a “professional stripper”!). I also have four older sisters, which made life desperately challenging growing up in their hand-me-downs. After graduating from Fort Atkinson High School, I received a partial football scholarship from Western Michigan University. My recruiting sheet said, “Has 4 older sisters, plays the French Horn… RECRUIT AS WALK-ON!” The walk-on turned half — scholarship, became a full scholarship after I impressed coach Jack Harbaugh, father of John (Baltimore Ravens) & Jim (Michigan) Harbaugh, in early practices. I stayed at WMU for four years — from the 1982 through 1985 seasons — and majored in biomedicine. I started every game over that time and recorded 694 career tackles at WMU, a school and national record that still stands today. Western Michigan University retired my jersey number in 1995 and inducted me into its Hall of Fame a year later. I was then inducted into the Mid-American Conference Hall of Fame in 2013. After college, the Miami Dolphins in the second round in the 1986 NFL Draft drafted me. In 1986, I was defensive captain and starting inside linebacker for all 16 games and was voted Pro-Bowl and NFL Rookie of the Year. The next 5 years I earned Pro-Bowl honors and finished my 8-year NFL career in 1994. In 1989, during the middle of my football career, I married my wife Lynn, and we put together a business plan to start a bagel store. In 1990, the first Offerdahl’s Bagel Gourmet opened in Weston Florida. From 1990 through 1994, I was known around the league as the Linebacker Bagel Meister! By 1994 we had grown our company to 10 stores, and in 1995 we sold our business to Boston Market, and helped to develop a national brand called Einstein’s Bagels. In the mid-90s we had 3 kids, Ali, Drew & Jameson and by 2000, we reentered the restaurant business with a new quick-casual concept, Offerdahl’s Off-The-Grill, to quickly satisfy your just-grilled, all-day, appetite in an atmosphere that makes you feel great! “Just-Grilled, All-Day, GREAT!”
Is your career path a lifelong dream?
I’m living my dream. To be a player in the restaurant arena is exhilarating! Every day is a kick-off and there is never a play or a day you can get to comfortable with or be satisfied. I love the restaurant industry because the competition is so intense, and the consumer trends are ever changing. It keeps me humble each day, but anxious for tomorrow. It gets amazingly close to the adrenaline rush I received from smacking a running back on the goal line or hearing a coach Shula half-time pep talk. The only differences are now I find myself being the coach, not so much the player, and watching the ground for a misplaced mop head, not an intimidating lineman ready to run me over.
Can you share the funniest or most interesting story that occurred to you during your career?
My first Monday night football game, I was the starting inside linebacker and defensive captain for the Miami Dolphins. It was pre-game warm-ups and I was stretching with the team in the end zone. My place was in the back corner. I remember it like yesterday. Lying on my back with one leg stretched to the lights, sweat streaming down my face into dreaming eyes. The Monday Night Football song dancing in my head! Wow! I was in the NFL!!!! (pinch me please!) It was all too fleeting as an eclipse of the lights exposed the face of coach Don Shula just staring down and me, frothing at the mouth, inches from my face. “Offerdahl, you nervous?” he barked! What do I say? I said the worst… “Coach, not really!” Well that was the wrong answer. “You Gol Darn Fricken BETTER BE!” It is a stark and impressionable reminder in life; you better get nervous about the things that matter. On the flip side, know the things that don’t matter as much and enjoy them… you don’t have to be a pro in every game!
Where do you get your inspiration?
Much of my inspiration comes from my mother, Irene Offerdahl, who not only had 5 kids in 6 years, but she held the family together with a joy and enthusiasm for life. She found humor and energy in every step. Despite stretching every dollar she could to keep the family fed and dressed, which includes the hand-me-downs I receive the first 12 years of my life, “Momma Ram” called aptly for the hairdo she adorned through my teenage years (a perm that rolled her side bangs up in massive horns the likes of great dahl), is an inspiration for me and was the inspiration behind my nickname… Johnny Ram Jr!
What is your greatest accomplishment professionally and personally?
Professionally
College Football –I received the Defensive Player of the Game award in the 1986 Senior Bowl all-star game for stopping Bo Jackson, not just once… but twice, on 4th down goal line stands.
Pro Football — For 8 years I was the defensive captain of the Miami Dolphins, Dan Marino was the offensive captain & Don Shula was the head coach. I pinch myself to remind me I’m not dreaming!
Personally — I listened to my sister’s recommendation and married my college sweetheart, Lynn. She can look hot in a dress and still carry my 250# frame piggyback!
Is there a person that made a profound impact on your life? Can you share a story?
Considering my childhood circumstances (4 older sisters!), I was looking for a God my first conscionable moment! When I went to Western Michigan, my life turned upside down immediately from arriving as a half-scholarship walk-on to starting my first game as inside linebacker and defensive captain of the team in just 4 weeks. The next 10 games, I captained and started every game, recorded over 200 tackles, all-rookie everywhere, and left everything on the field of play. In just a 3-month period, my humble Wisconsin upbringing and bonds of friendship where now based on performance. It was overwhelming. I was invited to go to a CRU (Campus Crusades) meeting and it was there I first caught a glimpse of my future wife. Therefore, I give Christ primary credit for impacting my life, then my sisters, then my wife! Bottom line, in a world that puts value on performance, I try too hard to put value on people and I am VERY THANKFUL my performance is not the basis by which I am judged!
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world? Are you working on any meaningful or exciting non-profit projects?
Football, food and philanthropy (my 3 F’s ) are my favorite things. I was able to make these three things come together for a cause through my food, wine, and music festival. Walgreens Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival presented by the UHealth Clinic at Walgreens. A Celebration where Celebrity, Competition & Charity Collide! Starting on Friday, November 9th with the Vince Gill concert through Sunday night’s concert with Chris Daughtry, over 15,000 fans will be entertained at the Pompano Beach Amphitheater & Park. The highlight, the Grand Grill-Off Food & Wine Festival, is Saturday afternoon, November 10th, where 22 Dolphin Legends team-up with 22 top chefs to vie for Fan as the EAT, DRINK & VOTE on their favorite Grill-Off recipes. The proceeds for the entire weekend benefit Offerdahl’s Hands-Off Foundation and its mission to “Feed the Needs of Those in Crisis” along with funding Broward College merit-based scholarships.
None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story?
I have been very fortunate to NEVER have had a coaching change in my entire football career! All 3 levels of head coaches impacted my life in unique and life-altering ways. Coach Glen Borland at Fort Atkinson, WI; Coach Jack Harbaugh at Western Michigan University; and Coach Don Shula at the Miami Dolphins! But of all those great coaches who shaped me, there was a position coach who quite unwillingly recruited a 185# boy to Western Michigan and coached me to become the player I was — Greg Mattison. To this day, he still coaches and is currently at the University of Michigan where my son, Jameson, is a senior at University of Michigan this year and plays inside linebacker just like his dad. Pretty cool!
You are a person of influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
I’m living it! Offerdahl’s Hand-Off Foundation’s 2 subsidiary organizations:
Charitable Fundraiser — Walgreens’ Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival presented by UHealth at Walgreens. Check it out at www.gridirongrilloff.com.
Charitable Program — Home Team Advantage Restorative Housing. We provide supportive housing for vulnerable families seeking relationship restoration, self-sufficiency and homeownership victory! Providing Homes… Restoring Lives. Check it out at www.htadvantage.org.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”?
It was written on a plaque that my mom hung on the wall by my bed and was titled… THE GAME OF LIFE, which enshrines a quote from Teddy Roosevelt… “In Life, as in a football game, the principle to follow is: Hit the line hard, don’t foul, don’t shirk, Hit the line hard.” I distinctly remember reading this quote throughout my childhood and dreaming of playing the great game of football. To this day, I have this picture hanging above my home office desk… reminding me to “Hit The Line of life HARD”!
Some of the biggest names in Business, VC funding, Sports, and Entertainment read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this :-)
Anyone who loves the restaurant business and shares my dream to impact people for the better! The power of the Grill is enormous. It connects people. From fine-dining restaurant grills, to neighborhood backyard bbq’s, to game-day tailgate fanatics… people live life off the grill. It is our dream to create a fast-casual grill concept that gives fans the right choice to be more in life with not only their food decision but with the impact their decisions make in the community. We want to inspire fundraising efforts through the Gridiron Grill-Off to provide homes and restore lives. This package gets me up each day. This keeps me excitingly “nervous” for tomorrow. (Coach Shula is smiling!)
What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?
It’s our people and our products. I might be biased, but I think our team is incredible. They provide passionate and personal service daily. Our product offering is unique and grilled fresh for or breakfast, lunch and dinner. Eggs off-the-grill, chicken, steak, salmon, burger, vegetarian. We offer whole food options like grains and greens, and signature recipes that give people options that make fans feel great and perform at their best.
Which tips would you recommend to your colleagues in your industry to help them to thrive and not “burn out”?
Believe in and capitalize on the gifts and experiences God has given you and follow your passion. When Lynn and I first thought of starting our bagel business in 1989, we went to our lawyer, Charlie Morgan, with the idea. He questioned us as follow…
“Are you Jewish?” Nope. I am Norwegian. Lynn is German. (1st Down)
“Were you born in New York?” Nope. I was born in Wisconsin. Lynn was born in Michigan. (2nd Down)
“Have you ever taken a business class?” Nope. I majored in biochemistry. Lynn got her master’s in fine art. (3rd Down)
“Have you ever worked in a restaurant?” Nope. I was once a bar-boy. Lynn’s closest restaurant experience was dipping donuts at her college dorm. (4th Down. Turnover on downs)
When Charlie stopped asking questions and reminded me that as a football player, I could potentially jeopardize our reputation by going into a business we knew nothing about and had no industry experience to bank on success. After listening to our passionate pleas, Charlie told us to come back in 1 week after he had more time to think about it. One week later, we arrived in Charlie’s office to greet a package on his desk. Charlie motioned to the package and we tore it open. Out came a shining, new bagel toaster with a note of support and our first dollar in sales! An act of support & encouragement! That’s what we want to be for others.
Are you working on any exciting projects now?
YES! Offerdahl’s Off-The-Grill (www.offerdahls.com), Walgreens’ Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival (www.gridrongrilloff.com), and Home Team Advantage Restorative Housing (www.htadvantage.org)
Tell me a little bit about Walgreens Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival Presented by UHealth Clinics at Walgreens.
Walgreens’ Gridiron Grill-Off Food, Wine & Music Festival Presented by UHealth Clinics at Walgreens is an event where Celebrity, Competition & Charity COLLIDE! 22 NFL legends team-up with 22 top chefs from South Florida’s finest restaurants to vie for fans as they eat, drink and vote on their favorite Grill-Off recipes Saturday, November 10th from 1:00pm — 4:30pm! From Friday night, November 9 through Sunday night, November 11th, attendees will also enjoy several new additions including live entertainment, a pit master BBQ competition, a cornhole tournament, silent auction activities and much more.
The Gridiron Grill-Off Concert Series powered by the Greater Fort Lauderdale CVB’s Underground Music in Partnership with AEG Presents kicks off Friday, November 9 with a live performance by Grammy award-winning artist Vince Gill. Rock bands Sister Hazel and Barenaked Ladies will perform on Saturday, November 10, while chart-topping rock group Daughtry wraps up the weekend with an evening performance on Sunday, November 11.
In addition to the new concert series, this year’s event will debut an all-new, kid-friendly Pit Masters BBQ Competition starting at 12 p.m. on Saturday before the Grand Grill-Off Food & Wine Event which takes place at 1 p.m. Showcasing more than 40 pit masters competing to win the grand champion trophy and over $10,000 in cash prizes, the interactive competition will offer attendees the chance to sample a variety of recipes fresh off the grill and vote for their favorites.
Proceeds from ticket sales will support the Offerdahl Scholarship Fund as well as scholarships at Broward College, where every person who is determined to change their life through the pursuit of higher education is afforded that opportunity. Your attendance at this event will be both fun and help someone become Empowered by Broward!
For more information and to purchase tickets, visit our new website at https://gridirongrilloff.com/.
