Jay Richardson
Jay Richardson’s path from high school football standout to NFL veteran and community leader is marked by passion, purpose and commitment.
A Dublin Scioto graduate and former Ohio State Buckeye, Richardson now splits his time between sports broadcasting, real estate and youth mentorship – utilizing his platform to inspire those around him and uplift his community. Through his foundation and continued ties to central Ohio, he’s redefining what it means to stay in the game, long after the final whistle.
Gridiron glory
Jay Richardson
Richardson transferred to Dublin Scioto High School as a sophomore, a move that would put him on a life-altering path.
While there, he met several influential mentors whom he recalls fondly, including former head coach Karl Johnson, who introduced him to the football program. From that point on, the rest is history.
After graduating in 2002, Richardson was offered a full athletic scholarship to The Ohio State University.
“It was life-changing to get recruited out of Dublin to Ohio State,” Richardson says. “To be close to my family, and to still be able to be a part of that number one recruiting class in the country that year and play alongside some amazing athletes.”
Richardson recollects many great memories from his time with the Buckeyes, including beating OSU’s infamous rival four times, earning four “pairs of golden pants.”
While there, he also was part of several bowl games and two national championships – one of which OSU won in 2002 – and earned All Big10 Honors his senior year.
“To win a championship as a freshman was surreal,” Richardson says. “It was really a remarkable journey.”
Jay Richardson
Soon after came an even bigger blessing: Richardson was drafted into the NFL in 2007 by the Oakland Raiders (now the Las Vegas Raiders).
“I started 12 games as a rookie, I had a blast,” Richardson says. “And getting the chance to start alongside Hall of Fame players like Warren Sapp and to learn from guys like that, it really enriched my career.”
He played for the Raiders for three seasons, then moved to the Seattle Seahawks before finishing his NFL career with the New Orleans Saints in 2013.
Some of his favorite memories from his NFL career include making the playoffs with the Seahawks and witnessing Marshawn Lynch’s famous 67-yard “Beast Quake” touchdown run from the sidelines.
Playing it forward
Jay Richardson
Now a retired NFL veteran, Richardson uses his time outside of work to prioritize giving back to the central Ohio community as a member of the Ohio State Sports-Medicine Advisory Board and as the co-founder of the Jay Richardson Foundation.
He and his mother, Deborah Johnson, co-founded the nonprofit in 2008, allowing them to help young people explore various career opportunities, develop skillsets and build character.
Each summer, the foundation hosts an Athletic and Life Skills Summer Camp, where high schoolers can learn not just about football, but also about important life skills – including everything from learning how to tie a tie and prepare for a job interview, to learning how to go out into the world and pursue their goals.
Jay Richardson
“We wanted to create a pathway for us to provide a way to give back to kids,” Richardson says. “We really wanted to give kids tools that they could take with them to graduate every level of life, not just academically, but also socially.”
The foundation received the NFL Unsung Athletes Award at the 2011 Super Bowl, which recognizes players who excel in community service.
“It meant so much to my mother and I at the time, especially because we were finally making headway and getting more kids to come be a part of it,” Richardson says. “It’s always a blessing to be recognized for trying to make a difference.”
Jay Richardson
Postgame presence
Football continues to influence Richardson’s day-to-day life in other ways too.
Richardson works as a television personality and sports broadcasting analyst for the Sinclair Broadcast Group on both ABC6 and Fox28.
He co-anchors Emmy-nominated pregame and postgame program “Football Fever” on ABC6, which provides weekly recaps, previews, features and analysis of Ohio State sports – particularly football – and includes “The Buckeye Fever Podcast.”
On Fox28, Richardson hosts “First Scores,” a Friday-night show that provides a first look at high school football highlights and scores from around the Columbus area.
“My NFL career upped my mental acumen as far as understanding the game at a high level, so that helps with my commentating,” Richardson says. “But more importantly, it helps me understand the game from a player perspective, so when I give analysis, the audience knows I’m coming from a place of experience.”
Jay Richardson
Richardson is also a co-founder of podcast “2CENTS Sports,” which discusses all things sports related – not just the Buckeyes.
“Sports is the best reality television show in the world, because it’s really happening, nothing is staged,” he says. “You get all these real-world scenarios, and there are a lot of lessons you can take from that.”
Additionally, Richardson works as a licensed real estate agent for Columbus REALTORS® and takes pride in helping clients find the spaces they need.
Dublin Alumni Association
Passion meets purpose
Richardson attributes much of who he is today to both his mother and his NFL career. While football helped him develop a strong work ethic and a drive to commit to his passions, his mother taught him the importance of helping others.
“Having my mother guide me towards giving back more has opened up an awareness and a perspective that I didn’t have before,” he says. “And I think it changes you… when you start to see the world through eyes other than your own.”
For Richardson, nothing is more purposeful than helping others find and commit to their passions just as he did, and making a difference in his community in whatever ways he can. He hopes he can continue supporting youth education and access to resources for years to come.
“Everybody wants to have a better world, but in order to create that, we have to be actively involved, and you can’t do that in isolation,” Richardson says. “You have to be involved in your community… because that’s how change happens.”
Ella Jay is an assistant editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at ejay@cityscenemediagroup.com.
