Reggie Fowler facts for kids

Reginald Dennis Fowler (born February 4, 1959) is an American former football player and businessman. He played for the Arizona Wranglers. Later, he became an investor in the Minnesota Vikings football team. He was also involved with the Alliance of American Football.

Early Life and School

Reggie Fowler was born on February 4, 1959. He is one of five children of Al and Eloise Fowler. When his dad retired from the U.S. Air Force, his family moved to Tucson, Arizona.

In Tucson, Reggie's dad opened a restaurant called Al's Pit Bar-B-Que. Reggie helped out by working as a dishwasher there.

After his family moved to a different part of town, Reggie went to Magee Junior High School. He then attended Sahuaro High School. At Sahuaro, Reggie played football, just like his brother, Jeff. In 1998, Reggie was honored and added to the Sahuaro High School Alumni Hall of Fame.

Football Career

Reggie finished high school in 1977. He then went to the University of Wyoming on a football scholarship. He started playing as a running back, which was his position in high school. Later, he changed to play as a wide receiver and a linebacker.

Reggie graduated from Wyoming in December 1981. He earned a bachelor's degree in Social Work. He was not chosen in the 1982 NFL draft. However, he went to training camp with the Cincinnati Bengals. He was cut from the team before the season began.

In 1983, a new league called the United States Football League (USFL) started. Reggie was picked to play for the Arizona Wranglers. He played a few games as a reserve linebacker. He played in the last six games of the 1983 season. His last game was on July 3 in Pontiac, Michigan. The Wranglers later moved most of their players to another team. Reggie was not part of that move and was released from the team.

Business Ventures

After his football career, Reggie Fowler took business classes at Arizona State University. He then got a job in sales with Mobil Oil's chemical division. In 1989, he left that job to start his own company, Spiral. He reportedly started it with only $1,000.

Investing in the Minnesota Vikings

In 2005, Reggie Fowler was part of a group of investors. This group was led by Zygmunt Wilf. They bought the National Football League's Minnesota Vikings team. The previous owner was Red McCombs.

Reggie initially wanted to be the main owner of the team. This would have made him the first minority owner of an NFL team. But he couldn't provide enough details about his part in the ownership group. So, he became a smaller investor instead. He did not share details about his money with the media. By October 2014, he was no longer an investor in the Minnesota Vikings.

Alliance of American Football

Reggie Fowler was also a big investor in the Alliance of American Football (AAF). This was a new football league. After the first week of games, Reggie decided to stop providing his money. This led to the league having to quickly sell his share to Thomas Dundon. This event ultimately caused the league to close down.

Legal Issues

In April 2019, Reggie Fowler faced legal problems. His money was frozen by the Department of Justice. He was accused of being involved in financial activities that were against the law.

In April 2022, Reggie Fowler admitted to some of the charges. These included bank fraud and running a money business without a license. On June 5, 2023, he was sentenced in a federal court in Manhattan. He was ordered to give up a large amount of money and pay back some funds.