What is in this article?:
Current and retired athletes have stepped up their investment in the restaurant industry
Troy Aikman
Aikman (pictured right with Wingstop CMO Andy Howard) led the Dallas Cowboys to three Super Bowl wins in the 1990s and got his start in foodservice in 2003 as spokesman for Wingstop, the Richardson, Texas-based chain of more than 500 locations in 34 states and Mexico. Since then, he also has joined the Wingstop board of directors and recently helped unveil the brand's newest concept, Wingstop Sports.
The quarterback also has drafted his former boss, Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, into the industry, first in commercials for Wingstop and this past year as a fellow franchisee of Dunkin' Donuts. In March, Dunkin' announced a 50-store partnership with Aikman and the Jones family, in which all three parties would be responsible for strategic planning, expansion and marketing of the Dallas-area Dunkin' Donuts business, with the franchisor in charge of operating the stores.
Jones also starred in a commercial for Papa John's Pizza earlier this year.
Other current and former professional athletes to recently sign franchise deals with Wingstop include Drew Gooden and Voshon Lenard of the NBA and Ron Stone and Willie McGinest of the NFL.
