Damian Vaughn

Damian Vaughn

No. 83,88
Date of birth:	(1975-06-14) June 14, 1975
Place of birth:	Divinópolis, MG
Career information
Position(s):	Tight End
College:	Miami University
Organizations
As player:
1998-2000 2001-2002	Cincinnati Bengals Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Damian Vaughn (born on June 14, 1975 in Divinópolis, MG^[1]) is a retired American Football tight end for the Cincinnati Bengals (1998–2000) and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers^[2] (2001–2002). As the first Brazilian NFL player, Vaughn has made efforts to promote awareness and interest in American football among Brazilians, including a trip to Brazil with Tony Gonzalez in 2003. Following his career in football, Vaughn has remained active in the athletics world by founding the Vaughn Center, which offers meditation and leadership training for athletes.

Education

Vaughn attended Orrville High School and went on to study Spanish and International Business at Miami University in Ohio. He also studied Cognitive Neuroscience and Consciousness at the University of Arizona and Interpersonal Neurobiology and the Science of Mindful Awareness at the Mindsight Institute in Los Angeles, CA. He is currently enrolled in a positive psychology program at Claremont Graduate University pursuing his PhD.

Football career

After playing as a walk-on at Miami University, Vaughn was drafted in 1998 by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 33rd pick in the seventh round of the draft. He played tight end for the Bengals from 1998–2000 and for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2001-2002.

Continuing his career on an international level, Vaughn played for the Barcelona Dragons^[3] in NFL Europe. In 2000, Vaughn caught 40 passes for 326 yards, which earned him a selection on the All-NFLEL team. His last year in professional football was 2002, when he caught seven passes for 35 yards for the Dragons; his season, and career, were cut short by injury.

Business career

Following his retirement from professional football, Vaughn established himself as a successful entrepreneur. He began by co-founding a countertop manufacturing venture that quickly grew into a multi-million dollar business. He subsequently founded Terra Mar Stone,^[4] an importer and wholesaler of rare and exotic stone for commercial application. Damian raised millions of dollars in private equity financing for the company, which went on to achieve seven-figure numbers in gross revenues. He also founded a manufacturing company in Brazil, where he holds dual citizenship.

He currently will be taking a leadership role at HBO Latin Ametica Division

The Vaughn Center

In 2009, Damian founded the Vaughn Center, a facility in Scottsdale, Arizona that helps athletes focus on their minds and bodies through meditation. The Vaughn Center is located within the Agave Spa at the Westin Kierland Resort & Spa.

Coaching

Damian Vaughn is a professional speaker for athletes, coaches, and corporate audiences. He holds various coaching programs, both in-season and off-season, at The Vaughn Center.

Meditation with the Mind and Body

Damian initially turned to meditation as a means of dealing with the extreme mental and physical challenges of an NFL career. After retirement, Damian became a Certified Teacher of Primordial Sound Mediation through the Chopra Center, and now travels across the country giving lectures on meditation, talking about experiencing the different "zones” in sports and finding our own heightened state of awareness.

Personal

Originally from Orrville, OH, Vaughn currently resides in Phoenix, AZ with his wife Nicole and their Three children, daughter Chloe Rose and son Roman Joseph. and Jude

Damian is trilingual, speaking English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Damian Vaughn.