Jonathan Vilma: Beyond the Gridiron
By David Villavicencio
HurricaneSports.com
Walk into Brother Jimmy’s for lunch on any given day and you might run into Miami Hurricanes legend and NFL star Jonathan Vilma.
The star linebacker is not signing autographs or making appearances like most would assume. Instead, Vilma is acting like any successful restaurateur. He talks to the staff, surveys the restaurant’s décor and makes sure everything runs smoothly as he works to expand his barbecue empire.
“I was introduced to Brother Jimmy’s back during my New York Jets days,” Vilma said. “I immediately knew this would be a hit in Miami. The food was good, affordable and the atmosphere was great. The founder of Brother Jimmy’s and I decided to officially bring the brand to Miami back in 2012. I opened our first location in Mary Brickell Village, where it was well received. I always wanted to put one near UM, so it was a natural fit when the space where Dan Marino’s was became available. Now three stores strong in Miami with the addition of my third location at Dolphin Mall, I’m excited to bring such a fun brand and cool concept to Miami.”
Vilma’s success as a business owner was almost expected. A Coral Gables, Fla., native, Vilma has been successful at seemingly everything he has ever put his mind to.
At Miami, he was a key component on the 2001 National Championship team, leading one of the greatest defenses in college football history with 79 tackles during the regular season. He was a three-time All-BIG EAST selection, was selected first-team All-America by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Walter Camp and was a finalist for the 2003 Butkus Award following his senior season. All of his success as a Hurricane helped him earn a spot in the 2015 University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame induction class.
“As a player, winning the championship was my favorite moment,” Vilma said. “It was especially gratifying because we felt we should’ve at least played for the championship the year before. It was the first time I had won a championship at any level.”
In the NFL, Vilma was the anchor for the New Orleans Saints defense as they claimed a Super Bowl title in 2009. He was named the AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year in 2004 after a stellar debut season with the New York Jets and led the NFL with 169 tackles in 2005 to earn the first of his three Pro Bowl nods.
Both a National Champion and Super Bowl Champion, Vilma has accomplished what every football player dreams of: reaching the pinnacle of both college and pro football. While the result was ultimately the same, Vilma says the path to the top was remarkably different in each of his championship seasons.
“The biggest difference between winning the national championship and the Super Bowl is the process to win both,” Vilma said. “The only thing hard about winning the national championship was the practices. Spring ball, training camp and the practices leading up to the Rose Bowl were all harder than the actual games. We blew out most of our opponents that season, but I remember how much fun the games were and my teammates truly enjoyed hanging out with each other.”
“The NFL was just as much fun, but the grind throughout the season to win was more demanding,” Vilma said. “The attention to detail was far greater, while the margin for error was much less. One common denominator was the camaraderie among my teammates. The chemistry was there; we made sure we didn’t want to let the next man down and found ourselves fighting to the end to win games. It was worth it as I look back on the Super Bowl run.”
While his accolades as a football player are well known, his success in the classroom was equally as impressive.
A three-time Academic All-BIG EAST honoree, Vilma earned his bachelor’s degree in finance from the University of Miami in 2003. He was selected as the University of Miami’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year for the 2002-03 academic year. His list of academic accomplishments while at Miami is lengthy, earning spots on the Provost’s Honor Roll, Dean’s List, AD Honor Roll, Book Buster, Arthur Ashe Jr. Scholar Athlete and BIG EAST Football Honor Roll. Academics were always important to Vilma and he ranks graduation day as his top memory of his four years at Miami.
“My fondest memory as a student was when I graduated,” Vilma said. “It was two weeks after I was drafted and the business school replayed my selection as I was walking across the stage. All the seniors gave me a standing ovation. The joy I felt was intoxicating. I’ll never forget it.”
His mental capacity gave him an edge in the classroom and helped make him a better football player. Vilma’s intellectual ability has also helped him make a smooth transition as he ventured into the business world.
“The mental component has helped prepare me tremendously for life outside of football,” Vilma said. “Learning to deal with different people, different personalities, team building and creating a culture that breeds success are invaluable assets I’ve learned. It’s helped me transition smoothly into settings outside of football.”
A standout on the field, in the classroom and now as an entrepreneur, Vilma credits his time at Miami for helping prepare him for life on and off the field.
“My time at Miami helped me build a foundation for success,” Vilma said. “The environment at UM developed a culture for success instilling discipline, time management skills, people management skills and a high demand for excellence. It is the same culture in the NFL for successful teams and exactly the same environment in successful organizations.”
Vilma has a special bond with the University of Miami and Hurricane Athletics. His love for The U brings him back to Coral Gables each year to train for the upcoming NFL season as well as mentor the current crop of Canes. The immense pride in his alma mater also drove him towards giving back to the place that helped mold him into the successful man he is today.
“The connection I have started when I was 8 years old watching the Canes on TV,” Vilma said. “I grew up a Cane and it has always been a part of me. When I graduated from UM, I accomplished every goal I strived for during my tenure. UM was everything I hoped it would be so giving back was a way to say ‘thank you’ and continue to expound upon the greatness UM has become both athletically and academically.”
