TAMPA, Fla. — Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback Jamel Dean and running back Rachaad White came out to support their former teammate Logan Ryan on Monday night.
“I think the first time he came and told me about this event, I was willing to show up and support,” Dean said. “But then he really found out that I am a foodie. So he thinks I am the perfect candidate for this.”
“The Chow Down” is a fundraising event for Ryan’s non-profit RARF, the Ryan Animal Rescue Foundation. It is a food and wine-tasting event that raises money for local shelter animals.
“This event was supposed to be in October,” Ryan said. “We got hit with those back-to-back hurricanes, it was pretty devastating. It affected friends and family of ours. We felt like the right thing to do was to donate all the money we made from the event directly to hurricane relief. We donated about all of it; no, we are back to zero.”
Nine of Tampa's best restaurants offered gourmet samples for guests to try and vote on. Dean and White served as celebrity judges.
“I love different varieties,” Dean said. “It helps me explore my taste buds. My chefs put flavors together to create a unique taste.”
As Dean said, he’s the perfect candidate for this. He owns a French bulldog, “I love her to death. I don’t know what I’d do without her.”
But he likes exploring different foods. As for White?
“He’s so picky he doesn’t even want to try out different things, man,” Dean said.
Ryan is a two-time Super Bowl champion with the New England Patriots. He played for Tampa Bay during the 2022 season.
Guests could pose with those Lombardi Trophies, sample tasty food, and have a good time for a great cause.
“I’ve been a professional athlete for a lot of years, and the events we go to are boring, in my opinion. Great causes, but they’re boring,” Ryan said. “So I want to have something fun. I love food. I love wine. My wife and I love date nights at certain restaurants and trying out food. That’s what this is.”
