From gridiron to pumping iron: David Garrard's life after football

[thelakelander]

Pretty cool story...

David Garrard thought he would be opening his own business when his football days were over. He just wasn't sure what that would be.
It's turned out to be a gym. He's expecting to open his first Retro Fitness health club on Atlantic Boulevard next month and his second on Baymeadows Road soon after.

"I figure I work out all the time anyway," he said.

He's getting into the business during a boom, and he has competition. LA Fitness has a gym 3 miles in one direction on Atlantic Boulevard and 6 miles in another.

And the investment is substantial.

Retro Fitness puts the cost of a new franchise at $1 million to $2 million, depending on size and location. But earlier this year, Forbes named Retro Fitness the No. 2 franchise opportunity among those with an initial investment of $500,001 and up.

"What I wanted to do was play well enough and long enough that when I got done I could do what I wanted," he said. "And I did that."

Full article: http://members.jacksonville.com/news/metro/2014-11-15/story/gridiron-pumping-iron-david-garrards-life-after-football

[spuwho]

LA Fitness is having some trouble with keeping renewals. They have been cutting staff hours.

[ProjectMaximus]

I always wish him the best. Seemed like a great guy and was mostly just unfortunate in his playing career.

[RockStar]

I always wish him the best. Seemed like a great guy and was mostly just unfortunate in his playing career.

I wish him the best as well, I don't think he was unfortunate at all; in fact just the opposite. In NFL terms, he was never elite, but he got elite playing time. He gave us some good memories though...

[ProjectMaximus]

I guess it depends on perspective. To me he flashed tons of potential but never was able to fulfill it. That's unlucky.
Not to mention his best season, peak of his career, was cut short by horrendous WR play. And of course the injuries to end his career were unlucky too, otherwise I have no doubt he would have hung around the league much longer.

Then again he's extremely lucky to have gotten his payday from the Jags after one good season and he's fortunate to have even had a career considering Chron's disease.

[river4340]

He was a decent NFL QB at a time when the Jags needed an excellent one to be really competitive. But it's hard to be too negative. How many guys have had 10-year careers as decent NFL QBs? But during his time here and now still, he seems to be a first-class guy.

[pierre]

His son goes to the same school as my kids. Garrard is a heck of a nice guy. And looks like he spends most of his time at the gym himself. He's massive.