Damon Dunn facts for kids

Damon Jerrel Dunn (born March 15, 1976) is an American who has done many things. He was a professional football player. After that, he became a real estate developer and a minister. He also ran for political office.

Early Life and School

Damon Dunn was born in 1976 in Fort Worth, Texas. His mother, Ramona Dunn, was 16 years old. When Damon was three, his father passed away in a car accident. His father, Mike Lockett, was also a football player.

Damon grew up on his grandparents' farm. He lived in a trailer there. He was a great student at Sam Houston High School. He was also an All-State football player in Texas.

College Years

After high school, Damon went to Stanford University. He earned a football scholarship to play there. Famous coach Bill Walsh recruited him. Damon also ran track while at Stanford.

At Stanford, he was coached by Tyrone Willingham. Damon looked up to Coach Willingham like a father. He had grown up without a male role model. Damon set many records during his time at Stanford.

He also earned several awards. These included an NCAA Academic Scholarship. He received All-Pac-10 Honors for his play. He also got Academic All-Pac-10 Honors for his studies. He won the National Football Foundation and College Hall of Fame Award.

While at Stanford, Damon also helped out at Jerusalem Baptist Church. He worked as an associate pastor. He helped manage programs for young people there.

Playing Professional Football

Damon graduated from Stanford in 1998. He earned a degree in public policy. He was not chosen in the 1998 NFL draft. This means no team picked him right away.

After college, Damon joined the practice squad for the Jacksonville Jaguars. This is a group of players who train with the team. In 1999, he played for the Cleveland Browns.

The next year, he played for the Berlin Thunder in NFL Europe. This was a league for American football players in Europe. He also played for the New York Jets and the Browns again in 2000.

In 2001, Damon played for the XFL team, the Los Angeles Xtreme. The XFL was another football league. It closed down after that season. Damon then joined the Dallas Cowboys for training camp. He had to leave the NFL after getting injured.

Life After Football

After he stopped playing football, Damon started a new career. He partnered with a friend from Stanford. They started a real estate business in California. They built several shopping centers together.

Public Service and Politics

Damon Dunn also decided to get involved in politics. He wanted to help his community.

Running for California Secretary of State

In 2009, Damon announced he would run for California Secretary of State. This job involves overseeing elections and business filings. He ran against the person who held the job at the time.

Damon said he wanted to represent people who were financially conservative. He felt these people did not always feel welcome in the Republican Party. He won the primary election in June 2010. This meant he became the Republican candidate.

Running for Mayor of Long Beach

In 2014, Damon Dunn ran for Mayor of Long Beach. He made it to the final round of the election. He faced Robert Garcia. Damon lost the election to Robert Garcia on June 3, 2014.

Personal Life and Community Work

Damon Dunn has always been active in his community. While playing in the NFL, he worked with the Make-a-Wish Foundation. He visited children who were very sick.

He also started the Fighting Giants Ministry. This group helps children with serious injuries. Damon has volunteered at the St. Augustine Soup Kitchen. He also helped with the Cops-N-Kids program. He worked with the Cleveland Clinic Foundation too.

Damon was the president of his local Fellowship of Christian Athletes group. He has spoken at many events for them. He is also a licensed Baptist minister. He is a member of Antioch Church of Long Beach. He lives in Long Beach, California.