RENNIE'S BIO
Rennie Curran is an internationally acclaimed speaker, author, musician, and American football linebacker who is currently a free agent.
He began his career at Brookwood high school in Snellville, GA becoming the all-time leading tackler in Gwinnett County. He went on to excel as a three-time All-American at the University of Georgia. He was initially considered to be undersized according to various critics, but quickly silenced the doubts by exploding onto the field as a true freshman.
Rivals.com rated him as a four-star recruit and listed him as the No. 11 inside linebacker prospect in the nation. In 2007, Rivals.Com named him Freshman All-American. In 2008, he was labeled “The most dominant defensive player in the game” and nominated as a finalist for the Butkus Award along with many other awards. In 2009, he was nominated as a finalist for the Rotary Lombardi Award, Bednarik Award and tabbed as “SEC’s Best Hitter”. Out of all the awards and accolades, his proudest accomplishment was being named as a permanent team captain.
He was selected in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans, spent some time with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2012, and joined the Edmonton Eskimos in 2013, racking up a whopping 70 tackles in the 2013 season.
All-American, "The most dominant defensive player”, Titan, Eskimo: All of these words can describe Curran's legacy. However, his fans know him by another title––"the Liberian Dream."
Curran bears the moniker both as a tattoo on his left bicep and as a personal motto. His parents emigrated from Liberia in the mid-80s and planted new roots in America. His mother earned a master's degree in nursing from Emory University and became a certified diabetes educator while his father founded a shoe repair business. Curran grew up witnessing the sacrifices they made as they supported and sheltered family members and friends during a bloody thirteen-year civil war in their homeland. It was this compassion and selflessness that inspired Curran to stop at nothing to achieve his dreams and catalyze a change in the world.
Curran’s widely renowned athletic career has allowed him to give back to the Liberian community, supporting educational and social institutions. At the same time, he promotes goodwill and continues to build positive relationships by working with many non-profit organizations in the Atlanta Area including the Boys and Girls Club, MAP international, and the CETA Foundation.
Curran has also found success in other fields. He is a musician who grew up playing the piano, drums, and viola. He regularly travels as a motivational speaker, talking to many different organizations inspiring individuals to live life to the fullest. In April 2013, Curran published "Free Agent – The Perspectives of a Young African American Athlete." This motivational self-help book discusses how to overcome the adversities and circumstances we all face along our journey to achieve our dreams in life.
Curran is both an athletic powerhouse and a determined individual whose prosperity continues to invigorate countless audiences. His drive both on and off the field is a testament to his continuous passion for life. When he's not playing or practicing, Curran spends lots of time with his family, especially his daughter Eleana, passing on his wisdom and love to her.
Curran is a man of humility, integrity, and resilience. He truly is "The Liberian Dream."
RENNIE CURRAN's CAREER
Professional Athlete
Speaker
Author
COLLEGE
Curran’s three year career at the University of Georgia was nothing short of spectacular.
As he began his career for the Bulldogs in 2007, he was considered by many as being too undersized to start at linebacker for an SEC team. But once Curran stepped onto the field, he quickly silenced any doubters with one punishing tackle at a time. Making up for his lack of size with superb technique, quickness, and strength, Curran was poised to break onto the SEC scene.
During his freshman season, Curran played in 11 games, starting 5 of them. He compiled 53 tackles, 9 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. He was named first-team Freshman All-American by Rivals.com, second-team Freshman All-American by Scout.com and was an Honorable Mention by The Sporting News. As a sophomore, he started all 13 games, leading the team in tackles on 9 separate occasions and topping all Bulldog defenders with 115 tackles and 10 tackles for loss. He also recorded 3 sacks and forced 2 fumbles. He was honored as a Butkus Award Finalist and earned the Bulldogs Defensive MVP Award. Additionally, he was named first-team All-SEC by the league’s coaches, second team All-SEC by the Associated Press, Sophomore All-American by College Football News and College Athlete of the Year by the Allied Athlete Group Foundation in Atlanta. As a junior he led the team in tackles 11 different times, accumulating an SEC-leading 130 tackles, with 5 tackles for loss, half a sack, 3 pass breakups and 10 quarterback pressuresA finalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, he also earned first-team All-SEC accolades by the Associated Press and the SEC coaches, first-team All-American by CBSSports.com and was awarded the Bulldog’s Vince Dooley MVP Award.
In January of 2010, Curran decided to forgo his senior season and enter the NFL Draft. He finished his Bulldog career cementing his legacy as one of the greatest linebackers in the history of the program. In his three years between the hedges, he played in 37 games, starting 30 of them, and ranked 16th in school history with 298 career tackles. He became only the 10th player in school history to lead the team in tackles during multiple seasons, and was the first Bulldog to record consecutive 100 tackle seasons since Greg Bright accomplished the feat during the 1996-97 season.
Curran attended Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia, where he participated in multiple sports, including wrestling and track. However, it was on the Broncos’ football field where he became a player to watch.
Curran started for the varsity football team as a sophomore, playing both linebacker and fullback. While attending a football camp in Atlanta, he met former Atlanta Falcons Pro Bowl linebacker Jessie Tuggle. Tuggle played an important role in Curran’s development as a linebacker, and continues to serve as one of his mentors.
Throughout his high school career, Curran accumulated a number of accolades:
- Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Super Southern 100
- Class AAAAA First Team
- Georgia Sports Writers Association’s Class AAAAA All-State Team
- Super Prep All-American Team
- All-Dixie Team
- Gwinnett County Linebacker of the Year
- Gwinnett County Defensive Player of the Year
As the college recruitment process began, Curran was considered by Rivals.com as a 4 star recruit, and was listed as the number 11 inside linebacker prospect in the nation. Offers from multiple universities began pouring in, but Curran was interested in only one school – The University of Georgia.
PROFESSIONAL
The Tennessee Titans selected Rennie Curran with their second pick in the third round (97th overall) of the 2010 NFL Draft. During his rookie season, Curran played in 9 games and recorded 8 total tackles. He spent time with the Tampa bay Buccaneers in 2012 before joining the Edmonton Eskimos in 2013. After an amazing two-year campaign with the Eskimos, Curran has become a Free Agent and is looking forward to beginning a new chapter in 2015!