By his own admission, Tyrod Taylor is a quiet, understated guy.
But the New York Giants quarterback’s passion for fashion has made him one of the best-dressed players in the league. On NFL Sundays, he travels to different stadiums and catches the eye of the cameras and his teammates, donning everything from custom clothing to pieces he’s designed.
“I saw fashion as an opportunity to express myself, especially since I’m not much of a talker,” he said Sports. “So I want to do it as often as possible.”
During the offseason at fashion week events in Paris, New York and Milan, it’s common to find Taylor in the front row, cutting alongside heavyweight creations like Paul Andrews and Samuel Ross. The Hampton, Va., native is not only fluent in X’s and O’s, but has also become a student of fashion, learning from the creative directors of various designer brands.
“It’s just being me, and I’m not taking credit for any of it,” said Taylor, who was not named. Sports Illustrated “Fashionable 50” list in 2017. “People who grew up with me will tell you that it didn’t just happen when I got into the NFL. I’ve always been like that, but it was obviously taken in his stride.”
Taylor is more than a humble fashionista who buys fly clothes; He’s now an emerging designer himself, who will launch his high-end line—Diallo, a nod to his middle name—in the next year. The line will be higher but not as expensive as other luxury brands. Taylor says it’s currently in production and is designed to appeal to a wide range of consumers, including NFL players who often have a wide range of body types.
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The former Virginia Tech star plans to start sports classes on the line leading to the locker rooms every week this season. Over the years, some players have been amused by looking dapper before games, but others with a keen interest in fashion should use that opportunity to show off their looks, he said.
“Sometimes athletes are brainwashed into thinking we have to come to work in T-shirts and sweatpants,” he said. “It doesn’t have to be you. Especially for football players. We only play once a week, so you only get one chance to dress up in front of the camera.
Taylor’s fashion is just one aspect of his entrepreneurial mindset. Earning more than $59 million during his playing career, he has become a leading athlete investor in private equity and venture capital, delivering strong returns in nearly two dozen companies. He participated in Dapper Labs’ Series C funding round (valuing the NFT company at $305 million) and NoBull’s most recent funding round (valuing the fitness brand at over $500 million). He said he has invested more than $10 million in various companies over the past decade.
Like many professional athletes, Taylor uses a financial advisor and CPA to help make financial decisions, but he’s adamant about educating himself and staying on top of his growing portfolio.
“It’s getting out of your comfort zone,” he said. “As athletes, we know football and sports like the back of our hand, but we have to give the same time to get into something else.”
In his fifth year in the league after completing his rookie contract, his trade grew. As a rookie in Buffalo, with a newly revised deal of $90 million, he began talking to colleagues with similar business interests. From there he entered the world of investment.
Taylor, who turns 33 next week, likes to invest in companies and brands in some way—which explains the sports-related companies in his portfolio—as well as real estate opportunities. He was an investor in a new off-campus housing complex near Winthrop University in South Carolina that has been leased and will open this fall.
The journeyman quarterback believes he has a lot of football left, but that hasn’t stopped him from making moves to prepare himself for a post-NFL career.
“It’s extremely important for NFL players to invest as much as possible,” said Carlos Diaz Jr., a wealth adviser who works with many clients, including NFL players. “[They] Compared to other major sports, they put the most wear and tear on the body, at least for warranties.
Taylor is a competitor who hates to lose, but understands the risk involved in investing. He said it’s important to stick to the plan. “Similar to football, don’t tank when you lose,” he said. “It’s understanding that there’s an opportunity to fail but continue on the same path.”
Another Taylor Tenet: Never get into investing “just being money hungry.” I don’t think anything works when you’re running a business.
After spending his career with the Baltimore Ravens, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Chargers and most recently the Houston Texans, Taylor is now in his first season with the Giants.
He looks forward to seeing how living in the world’s financial capital can grow his business portfolio off-season. One of his personal goals is to eventually generate more money off the field. But starting this week, he’s ceasing business calls and letting his financial advisor and CPA handle those conversations for at least the next four months.
Entering his 12th NFL training camp, Taylor is eager to compete with the chip on his shoulder after being drafted in the sixth round in 2011.
The biggest priority now is getting the Giants in the best possible position as they enter training camp behind Daniel Jones. When the season ends, he will return to actively building his business empire.
“I’ve always been big on keeping the core, and that’s football,” Taylor said. But at the same time, as you get older and more comfortable, you realize that sports don’t last forever. So you have to look for other interests.
