Mentoring Matters: Dolphins QB Tannehill A Leader On & Off The Field
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) – On the field, he's the Miami Dolphins quarterback gearing up for his fifth season with the Fins. But off the field, Ryan Tannehill is making strides quietly.
Tannehill and his wife, Lauren, have been mentoring a group of 24 high school students for the past three years – all part of the Tannehill Aces Foundation.
American Senior High School in Northwest Miami-Dade identified aspiring student athletes in need and connected them in the Aces Foundation, which stands for "achieving community and educational success."
"It's a rough time for everyone. You're trying to figure out what you want to do," Tannehill explained to CBS4's Rudabeh Shahbazi during a one-on-one interview. "Whether you want to go to school, what school you want to go to, stay out of the bad areas of life that you don't need to dip into, and that's kind of what directed us to that age."
Scholarship recipient Ranier Jones spoke glowingly of the star QB.
"Ryan Tannehill, for the past three years, he's been giving back to us, teaching us a lot of leadership skills," Jones said. "I'm just so thankful to have him in my life, to just support, everything that he gave to us."
Another scholarship recipient, Aryahna Abraham, added, "It really helped me develop communication skills, it really helped me figure out what I want to do with my life, for college."
The students came in as 10th graders and are now graduating – getting scholarships from the Tannehills to help them in their next chapter.
Over the years, these students have had the opportunity to attend football games, work on resumes and go on field trips.
But Tannehill said the most rewarding part of it all has been watching them jump at the chance to serve others – volunteering to fix up a veteran's house and serving meals to the less fortunate.
"I'm blessed. I'm blessed to be in the position that I'm in. I get to play football for a living and do a lot of really cool things, and to be able to put a smile on other people's faces, to maybe give them an experience that they didn't think they were going to get, or be able to help them do something that they weren't going to be able to do to make their life better," Tannehill said. "It really makes you feel good inside, and there's something special about giving a smile to somebody else."
Tannehill has had a profound impact on scholarship recipient Javier Mulero.
"It's my dream to be a professional player, and then to be able to see how a professional player helps people who come from difficult situations, from a difficult neighborhood, and they help them overcome their stuff, and they're always there for you, that honestly means a lot to us," he said.
With the positive impact Tannehill is making on these youngsters, Shahbazi asked Tannehill about how mentors shaped him.
"Without your mentors in your life, where do you think you would be?" she asked him.
"Probably not where I am today. You learn so much from people who have been there and done it before you," Tannehill said. "And just that wisdom, that guidance that directs the path of your life, it's special and you have to cherish it."
Tannehill said he draws on his talent and drive in the game to give advice about learning from every success and setback in every arena in life.
"You never want to be stuck in the same spot. You always want to set your goals and reach for those goals, whether people around you think you're crazy or not, you set your goals high and luck finds a way to find those that set their goals high and believe in themselves," he said.
The Tannehills will continue to track those students, who are entering their first year of college or trade school. They hope to keep in touch with them and see where they end up over the years.
But while the Tannehills have done their part for these mentees, Ryan still has a team to lead and learn from.
Shahbazi continued her conversation with Tannehill, shifting the focus to his relationship with his young teammates and savvy veterans.
Watch part two of her interview:
If you are a mentor and would like to share your story with us, please email us at mentoringmatters@cbs.com or CLICK HERE for more information about how you can become a mentor.
