Tony Boselli
Encyclopedia
Don Anthony "Tony" Boselli, Jr. (born April 17, 1972 in Modesto, California
) is a former American football
offensive tackle. He spent nearly all of his professional career playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars
of the National Football League
(NFL).
Boselli played college football
for the University of Southern California
Trojans
. He was drafted by the newly formed Jacksonville Jaguars as the second pick in the 1995 NFL draft
, becoming the team's first-ever draft pick. He played with the Jaguars until 2002, proving one of the franchise's most successful and popular players. He was selected by the Houston Texans
in the 2002 expansion draft, but injuries prevented him from playing and he retired after the season. As a sign of his success in Jacksonville he was the first player inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars, the teams' Hall of Fame
, and signed a symbolic one-day contract allowing him to retire officially as a Jaguar. During and after his professional football career he participated in business ventures and founded the charitable Boselli Foundation
, and worked as a sports commentator
.
, California
. He attended the University of Southern California
(USC), where he played for the USC Trojans
football team, which recorded him as standing at 6'7" and weighing 322 lbs. was a first team All-America
n and All-Pac 10 choice in 1992
, 1993
and 1994
and won the Morris Trophy. He was also a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon
fraternity.
, the first ever draft pick of the new Jacksonville Jaguars
franchise. As a result of his professional success and local popularity, Jacksonville-area McDonald's restaurants offered the "Boselli Burger" in his honor for a period of time.
Boselli was selected as the first pick of the 2002 Houston Texans
expansion draft. However, old injuries had taken their toll, and he was unable to play during the season, after which he retired.
On October 8, 2006, the Jacksonville Jaguars inducted Tony Boselli as the first player in the Pride of the Jaguars, the teams' own Hall of Fame
. He signed a one-day contract with Jacksonville, allowing him to retire officially as a Jaguar. Boselli was listed on the 2009 Hall of Fame Preliminary Nominees list.
and Bryan Schwartz
started the Mattress Firm, a retail bedding store in Jacksonville that expanded to seven locations. By the time Boselli left for Texas in 2002, he had sold his interest in the company.
Boselli and friend and former teammate Mark Brunell
own all Whataburger
franchise locations in the Jacksonville area.
Tony is also a founding partner in IF Marketing with good friends Jeff Novak
and Will Furrer
. The marketing and advertising firm, with offices in Georgetown, Texas
and Jacksonville, Florida
, was originally called Intra Focus marketing & advertising.
with his wife, Angi and their four children: Andrew, Adam, Ashli, and Alexis. Boselli has lost a significant amount of weight and now participates in triathlons. He also coaches his sons in baseball.
In 2009, there was talk that he would run for mayor
of Jacksonville, Florida
in 2011 when John Peyton
must leave because of term limits. However, he lives in St. Johns County
, so running for mayor of Jacksonville would require moving to Duval County
.
and Tony joined Dan Hicken
and Jeff Prosser as a co-host each morning from 6-10 am on Sports Final Radio.
Boselli was interviewed for an episode of NFL's Greatest Games
which aired on ESPN2
.
on regional NFL telecasts for Fox
, teaming with Ron Pitts
. In his rookie season as a televised commentator, Boselli drew praise as one of the best in the business.
1987), created the Boselli Foundation
during 1995 in Jacksonville to work with at-risk youth and help them to cultivate high self-esteem and to succeed at home, at school and at play. Beginning in 2007, Tony has spent substantial time working on projects with the foundation. He overcame opposition from local politicians when the Boselli Foundation proposed renovating and reopening a closed community center and has significant support.
Boselli and Mark Brunell helped found an Every Nation
church in Jacksonville, Southpoint Community Church, and both are active in Champions for Christ
.
Modesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
) is a former American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
offensive tackle. He spent nearly all of his professional career playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
(NFL).
Boselli played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
for the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
. He was drafted by the newly formed Jacksonville Jaguars as the second pick in the 1995 NFL draft
1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
, becoming the team's first-ever draft pick. He played with the Jaguars until 2002, proving one of the franchise's most successful and popular players. He was selected by the Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
in the 2002 expansion draft, but injuries prevented him from playing and he retired after the season. As a sign of his success in Jacksonville he was the first player inducted into the Pride of the Jaguars, the teams' Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
, and signed a symbolic one-day contract allowing him to retire officially as a Jaguar. During and after his professional football career he participated in business ventures and founded the charitable Boselli Foundation
Boselli Foundation
The Boselli Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is intended to provide academic and athletic support for local children, especially those with limited financial resources...
, and worked as a sports commentator
Sports commentator
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
College career
Boselli was born in ModestoModesto, California
Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. He attended the University of Southern California
University of Southern California
The University of Southern California is a private, not-for-profit, nonsectarian, research university located in Los Angeles, California, United States. USC was founded in 1880, making it California's oldest private research university...
(USC), where he played for the USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
football team, which recorded him as standing at 6'7" and weighing 322 lbs. was a first team All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
n and All-Pac 10 choice in 1992
1992 College Football All-America Team
The 1992 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Newspaper Enterprise Association, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The...
, 1993
1993 College Football All-America Team
The 1993 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The Sporting News and Football News.The...
and 1994
1994 College Football All-America Team
The 1994 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, United Press International, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, Scripps-Howard, The Sporting News and Football News.The...
and won the Morris Trophy. He was also a member of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon
Sigma Alpha Epsilon is a North American Greek-letter social college fraternity founded at the University of Alabama on March 9, 1856. Of all existing national social fraternities today, Sigma Alpha Epsilon is the only one founded in the Antebellum South...
fraternity.
Professional career
Tony Boselli was selected as the second pick of the 1995 NFL Draft1995 NFL Draft
The 1995 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The draft was held April 22–23, 1995 at the Paramount Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City...
, the first ever draft pick of the new Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jacksonville Jaguars are a professional American football team based in Jacksonville, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the South Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
franchise. As a result of his professional success and local popularity, Jacksonville-area McDonald's restaurants offered the "Boselli Burger" in his honor for a period of time.
Boselli was selected as the first pick of the 2002 Houston Texans
Houston Texans
The Houston Texans are a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas. The team is currently a member of the Southern Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
expansion draft. However, old injuries had taken their toll, and he was unable to play during the season, after which he retired.
On October 8, 2006, the Jacksonville Jaguars inducted Tony Boselli as the first player in the Pride of the Jaguars, the teams' own Hall of Fame
Hall of Fame
A hall of fame, wall of fame, walk of fame, walk of stars or avenue of stars is a type of attraction established for any field of endeavor to honor individuals of noteworthy achievement in that field...
. He signed a one-day contract with Jacksonville, allowing him to retire officially as a Jaguar. Boselli was listed on the 2009 Hall of Fame Preliminary Nominees list.
Business interests
Boselli plus former teammates Mark BrunellMark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
and Bryan Schwartz
Bryan Schwartz
Bryan Schwartz is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the second round of the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Augustana College...
started the Mattress Firm, a retail bedding store in Jacksonville that expanded to seven locations. By the time Boselli left for Texas in 2002, he had sold his interest in the company.
Boselli and friend and former teammate Mark Brunell
Mark Brunell
Mark Allen Brunell is an American football quarterback who currently plays for the New York Jets. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fifth round of the 1993 NFL Draft. He played college football at Washington....
own all Whataburger
Whataburger
Whataburger is a privately held, regional restaurant chain specializing in hamburgers. The company, founded by Harmon Dobson, opened its first restaurant in Corpus Christi, Texas in 1950...
franchise locations in the Jacksonville area.
Tony is also a founding partner in IF Marketing with good friends Jeff Novak
Jeff Novak
Jeff Ladd Novak is a former American football offensive lineman who played professionally in the World League of American Football and the National Football League. Novak was born in Arlington Heights, Illinois and considers his city of upbringing to be Clear Lake City outside of Houston, Texas...
and Will Furrer
Will Furrer
William Mason Furrer is a former American football quarterback in the National Football League for the Chicago Bears, Phoenix Cardinals, Denver Broncos, Houston Oilers, and the St...
. The marketing and advertising firm, with offices in Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
and Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
, was originally called Intra Focus marketing & advertising.
Retirement
Since 2005, Boselli has lived in Ponte VedraPonte Vedra Beach, Florida
Ponte Vedra Beach is an unincorporated seaside community in St. Johns County, Florida, United States. Located eighteen miles southeast of downtown Jacksonville and north of St. Augustine, it is part of the Jacksonville Beaches area. It is an upmarket tourist resort area best known for its...
with his wife, Angi and their four children: Andrew, Adam, Ashli, and Alexis. Boselli has lost a significant amount of weight and now participates in triathlons. He also coaches his sons in baseball.
In 2009, there was talk that he would run for mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
in 2011 when John Peyton
John Peyton
John Peyton may refer to:*John Peyton, Baron Peyton of Yeovil, , British politician who served as Minister for Transport*John Peyton John Peyton may refer to:*John Peyton, Baron Peyton of Yeovil, (1919–2006), British politician who served as Minister for Transport*John Peyton John Peyton may refer...
must leave because of term limits. However, he lives in St. Johns County
St. Johns County, Florida
St. Johns County is a county located in northeastern Florida. As of the 2010 census, the population was 190,039. The county seat is St. Augustine. Due to the inclusion of Ponte Vedra Beach, it is one of the highest-income counties in the United States....
, so running for mayor of Jacksonville would require moving to Duval County
Duval County, Florida
Duval County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. As of 2010, the population was 864,263. Its county seat is Jacksonville, with which the Duval County government has been consolidated since 1968...
.
Broadcast career
He was also one of the hosts of "The Frank Frangie Show" each morning from 7-10 am on Jacksonville's ESPN 1460. However, the station eventually changed to 1010 XLWJXL
WJXL 1010 AM, known on-air as 1010 XL, is a sports radio station licensed to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, owned and operated by Seven Bridges Radio, under its president Steve Griffin. Griffin also serves as General Manager of the station....
and Tony joined Dan Hicken
Dan Hicken
Daniel Patrick "Dan" Hicken is currently the sports director and weeknight sports anchor for First Coast News on television stations WTLV/WJXX in Jacksonville, Florida...
and Jeff Prosser as a co-host each morning from 6-10 am on Sports Final Radio.
Boselli was interviewed for an episode of NFL's Greatest Games
NFL's Greatest Games
NFL's Greatest Games is a series of 90-minute television programs that air on NFL Network, ESPN and related networks. They are condensed versions of some of the most famous games in the history of the National Football League, using footage and sound captured by NFL Films, as well as original...
which aired on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
.
NFL on Fox
In 2007, Boselli was hired as a color commentatorColor commentator
A color commentator is a sports commentator who assists the play-by-play announcer, often by filling in any time when play is not in progress. The color analyst and main commentator will often exchange comments freely throughout the broadcast, when the play-by-play announcer is not describing the...
on regional NFL telecasts for Fox
NFL on FOX
NFL on Fox is the brand name of the Fox Broadcasting Company's coverage of the National Football League's National Football Conference games, produced by Fox Sports...
, teaming with Ron Pitts
Ron Pitts
Ronald Dwayne Pitts is a former professional American football player. He played defensive back for the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League . He played college football for the University of California, Los Angeles Bruins.Pitts was drafted by the Bills in the...
. In his rookie season as a televised commentator, Boselli drew praise as one of the best in the business.
Charity
Tony and his wife, Angi (the former Miss California Teen USAMiss California Teen USA
The Miss California Teen USA competition is the pageant that selects the representative for the state of California in the Miss Teen USA pageant. This pageant is part of the Miss Universe Organization, owned by Donald Trump....
1987), created the Boselli Foundation
Boselli Foundation
The Boselli Foundation is a 501 non-profit organization based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is intended to provide academic and athletic support for local children, especially those with limited financial resources...
during 1995 in Jacksonville to work with at-risk youth and help them to cultivate high self-esteem and to succeed at home, at school and at play. Beginning in 2007, Tony has spent substantial time working on projects with the foundation. He overcame opposition from local politicians when the Boselli Foundation proposed renovating and reopening a closed community center and has significant support.
Boselli and Mark Brunell helped found an Every Nation
Every Nation
Every Nation Churches is an organization of non-denominational Christian churches. Its name embodies its goal of reaching "every nation in our generation" with the gospel....
church in Jacksonville, Southpoint Community Church, and both are active in Champions for Christ
Champions for Christ
Established in 1985 as part of the controversial Maranatha Campus Ministries, Champions for Christ is an outreach to college and professional athletes...
.