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faced the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football and ended up blowing them out of the water…but it was everything else that made the night so memorable. “It didn’t matter who we played. It was an amazing experience to see fans come back and to see the city of New Orleans come back. It was a break from their real problems and they got to enjoy a football game on that scale.” That game was a sellout, and there were another 60,000 people outside the stadium. It was an experience the city and Faine won’t ever forget. In 2008, Faine would travel back over to his home state to play for Tampa Bay. He grew up cheering for the team as a fan and it was his “dream come true” when he got to come back to Florida and play for his hometown team. “It’s a special feeling to have friends and family come over for a game.” Faine knows he is in the right place to one day finish his career. At the end of his contract, which ends in three years, Faine plans to pack up his pads, hang up his jersey, and focus on his multiple business endeavors and charity work. Some may think his departure will be premature, but Faine wants to “walk away from the game on my own terms.” He also knows how much damage the game does on the human body. It is clear Faine loves the game, but he will have plenty to shift his focus to once the game is done. Faine chose film to major in while at Notre Dame but it was the basic principles of a good work ethic, the preparation to adapt in situations and the general knowledge of how to work through problems that he learned in his basic classes. These would stick with him when he would enter into
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his first business venture, the Barley House, which was an Irish restaurant and bar in Akron, Ohio. It was so successful that it sold the most beer in the state three years in a row. Another location opened up in downtown Cleveland and was housed in a building in which Faine also owned leading him into the direction of real estate.
When Faine isn’t in the gym, protecting Tampa Bay quarterback Jeff Freeman, or running his beaucoup of businesses, he is relaxing at home in Harbor Island.
Amongst owning businesses in Ohio, he is also part owner of a steakhouse in Los Angeles and Las Vegas, and owns a clothing store and bar in downtown Orlando. (If you’re in Orlando, go check out The Other Bar.)
“Tampa has a little something for everyone. You can go to St. Petersburg or hit the beach in Clearwater. Downtown city life is on the rise and there are a lot of different areas of the city.”
Faine loved crunching numbers and just couldn’t get enough of the business world. Whether it is in real estate, the food industry, clothing, a production company, or as an investor, Faine knows how to make things as successful as possible. And he attributes and gives credit to his “fantastic” team of workers, which help run and operate his multiple businesses.
Most people like Tampa for its beautiful beaches, pleasant weather, and exciting nightlife and restaurants…and Faine agrees.
Plus, Faine adds, “It’s a great place to play football.The fans are good supporters. I love living here.” And Tampa loves having Faine as a part of their city as well.<
But Faine says, “I was making a great living and providing a lot of jobs, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to give back.” Faine created The Faine House, a place to house teenagers that have aged out of the foster care system. His goal is to provide the teens with life skills and the necessary tools they will need to make something of themselves and capitalize on opportunities provided to them. “We require them to be drug free, finish high school or earn a GED, and move on to further their education whether it be an AA or grad school. The sky is the limit.”
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I was making a great living and providing a lot of jobs, but it wasn’t enough. I wanted to give back.
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Faine’s transition home for foster teens is making a world of difference and he hopes to see it continue to grow into every NFL city.
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