Former Rutgers Football Player Bringing Bourbon to New York

For anybody who knows me, they know two things; I love sports and I love bourbon. This is why I was intrigued about a new bourbon that will soon be available for sale in the state of New York.

The new bourbon is a creation from the mind of a former University of Rutgers football player, Eric LeGrand. Now if that name sounds familiar to you, it's not a coincidence. Mr. LeGrand in his post-football career has gone on to build quite a name for himself, however, it was a moment that happened on the gridiron that first introduced Eric LeGrand to the world.

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Collision on Kickoff

The day was October 16, 2010 the Rutgers football team was facing off against Army at Metlife Stadium home to both the New York Jets and the New York Giants. With a little over 5 minutes left to go in the 4th quarter and the game tied at 17, Rutgers kicked the ball off to the army.

The entire play from kickoff to tackle only took 6 seconds off the game clock, but within those 6 seconds, tragedy struck. Eric LeGrand made the tackle on the Army kick returner, but the collision changed LeGrand's life forever.

On the tackle, LeGrand's head made contact with the returner and the impact of the collision resulted in LeGrand fracturing his C3 and C4 vertebrae. The injury left LeGrand paralyzed. It was a career and life-altering moment but it was the moment that began the journey to where Eric LeGrand is now.

Awards, Accomplishments, and Latest Success

Following the incident, LeGrand has gone on to accomplish many things. As it is described on his website, he is a motivational speaker, entrepreneur, sports analyst, philanthropist and author.

He was also the recipient of the 2012 Jimmy V Award, an honor bestowed to recipients every year at ESPN's ESPY Awards.

He also owns his own coffee shop in his hometown of Woodbridge, New Jersey called LeGrand Coffee House, and even has his own podcast called 'A Cup of bELieve'. In 2013 LeGrand started Team LeGrand, a fundraising arm of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation. Team LeGrand has one goal...

to help individuals living with spinal cord injury and their families by supporting quality of life initiatives and emerging therapies that will get us to the end zone — cures for spinal cord injuries.

LeGrand also recently became the face of another business venture. According to Fox 5 NY, in 2023 friend and now business partner Brian Axelrod, launched 'Eric LeGrand Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey'.

Together LeGrand and Rutgers University Athletics have agreed to a partnership deal where Eric LeGrand Straight Bourbon Whiskey will now be the first spirits brand to partner with a Big 10 School.

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LeGrand's charity is also tied to the bourbon brand as $5.20 from each case purchased goes to the charity. $5.20 being the most appropriate number as LeGrand wore the number 52 during his time at Rutgers.

According to the Fox article, the bourbon up to now has been available in Kentucky as well as New Jersey but plans are in place to bring the brand to other states like New York and Massachusetts later this year.

It is Eric LeGrand's belief that with further improvement and advances in technology, one day a cure will be found for paralysis and he will once again stand on his own two feet.