Lorenzo Bromell started playing football at the tender age of four. He wanted to be like his six-year-old brother. Once he started school, he participated in football, basketball, and Kung fu. “Kung fu helped me to master using my hands, which helped me to become well-known as a pass rush specialist in the NFL,” he shared. After graduating from Clemson, Lorenzo was drafted in 1998 by the Miami Dolphins to play defensive end. He also was a member of the Vikings, Raiders, and Giants until his retirement in 2005. 

Throughout his football career, Lorenzo had many accomplishments. His proudest moments were being drafted, breaking records as a rookie (Miami Dolphins rookie sack record, which he still holds today), being a finalist for DE rookie of the year, and making the Pro Bowl as an alternate his rookie season. “I was also very proud when my Dolphins coach, Jimmy Johnson, would invite my father to come watch us practice on Fridays before the game,” Lorenzo added. 

Coach Johnson made quite an impact on Lorenzo. “In my opinion, he gave everyone a fair opportunity to display talents, skills, and abilities. He didn't judge based on the draft status,” he explained. Lorenzo shares those same values when he speaks to kids and troubled youth, something that he enjoys doing now. 

After his retirement, Lorenzo attended business school, which he said, “sparked his interest in becoming an entrepreneur.” Now he is co-owner of a trucking business. “Growing up in South Carolina, I witnessed the trucking industry first-hand: my grandfather, father, and uncles were all truckers,” Lorenzo explained. When he and his wife of 16 years, Alexandria, and their four children moved back to Florida in 2015, he became a licensed realtor. Learning all the aspects of building, Lorenzo aspires to become a real estate developer. “My current endeavor is learning the flooring business, which is much more interesting than I imagined,” he admitted. (If you are looking for a new floor, Lorenzo is currently working with Renovation Flooring in Miramar Beach.) 

As if the trucking business, the real estate business, and the flooring adventure aren’t enough, Lorenzo also has a company called Elite Gladiators, where retired NFL players coach the position that they played to young athletes at football camps.

When he’s not buying or selling homes, laying floor tiles, or helping young kids, Lorenzo might be found on the road with his exotic car group, standing behind his grill, or spending quality time with his wife and children. Above all else, though, Lorenzo holds his faith in God. In fact, his number on several teams was 91 because his favorite verse from the Bible is Psalm 91. He knows the pandemic sent some people into a downward spiral that they never could have imagined. “I know there have been difficult times and some people have lost hope. I am a staunch believer in Philippians 4:13: ‘I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me’. To God be the glory in my life, over my family, in this world, and Hammock Bay,” Lorenzo concluded.

Be selfless. There is no "I" in "WE." There is no "I" in "TEAM." No one man/woman is greater than the team. 

For younger athletes: honor your mother and father and your days will be long and blessed. In doing so, you will learn to be a great listener, which means you are coachable. This means you will be dependable in a coach's eye. 

Dream big, have courage, and trust The Lord with all your heart. Amen!!!