Spotlight: Jarvis Green; 2 X NFL Champion and Owner, Oceans 97

When you were a child did you dream of a future in the NFL or was that a dream that was realized later in life?

I realized later in life that I would have an opportunity to play for a Division I team by going to LSU. My first day of organized football was when I was in the 7th grade. I quit the first time that I walked onto the field at Lowery Middle in Donaldsonville, La. I remember tackling my cousin who was twice my size I was shaking scared like a chicken. I never thought I would be here today having played for a Dynasty team like the New England Patriots. Everyone always told me to be the big fish in the small pond; but I wanted to swim in the ocean and give it a shot, so LSU was my first vessel to explore.

What was (NFL) draft day like for you?

Draft day was something that I couldn’t ever imagine happening; a small-town kid waiting for his name to get called by one of the 32 NFL teams and fulfilling a dream.

What were your thoughts when you got that phone call from your agent?

Well, this is how it works, every player has an agent before they enter the NFL Draft. A little different than the NBA, my agent was sitting right next to me for 2 days with my whole family and friends enjoying the party and enduring the stress that I was taking in while waiting for that one phone call! From the New England Patriots? I remember Scott Pioli, the GM of the Patriots at that time, calling me. Usually you get the phone call two picks before they actually pick you. So, I was watching the draft on tv at the same time I received the call from Scott; he put me on the phone with Coach Belichick. I was nervous and didn’t know what to expect. Everyone around me was screaming and crying and I had to excuse myself into the next room, so I could hear my new coaches’ voice.

What was the transition like from growing up in Louisiana to playing in New England?

Growing up in Louisiana was challenging and hard but fun and priceless. My dad was a disabled veteran who became a Class A welder after the war. He then started driving trucks after a serious back injury. I grew up with four siblings and we owned eight Great Danes, twenty chickens, eight cats and over 400 pigeons. We had our own little farm outside of Donaldsonville, LA. We worked hard every day. My mother preached, that the greatest thing I had to achieve was to go to college and earn a degree; anything after that was lagniappe! My parents lived in the Boston area back in the 70’s so telling me what to expect wasn’t an issue, and enduring the cold winters was an experience.

What was it like to play in a Super Bowl and to win it?

Playing in the super bowl was the most stressful situation(s) I have ever been in. Fun with the hi/low’s……You know how you usually have butterflies to start and then they go away after the first contact. Well the SB is a little different; you go in at halftime and come back out and the butterflies are back in the bottom of your stomach going crazy. For us, the Super Bowl is week-long event.  It’s something that I wish everyone could experience. As far as the game…speechless! Winning it the first time was something that I couldn’t have imagined ever happening to me. I didn’t sleep for weeks while celebrating and sharing the victory with New England residents and fans around the world. I have been very blessed and lucky enough to play in 3 super bowls, winning 2, in my nine-year career. I’m very grateful to get drafted in the 4^th round to the New England Patriots.  I had no idea what I was getting into!

Who was the most competitive person you played either with or against in the NFL and why?

I think Willie Roaf was the most competitive. I was a rookie at the time, but I don’t ever remember getting around that guy during the entire game. I remember waking up with a sore chest the next morning.

How many times did you sack Tom Brady in practice?

Well, I wouldn’t say sack since Tom wears a red Jersey and we have to stay away from his throwing arm. That arm is worth millions!

Now that you have retired from the NFL, what keeps you busy?

I’ve been retired since 2010. These days I’m working in the shrimp industry. I went to school to become an Engineer, studied Construction Management, but I took so many engineer courses with my studies at LSU. I never thought I would be pulling off a real “Forrest Gump” story. Being African American, everyone loves to call me “Bubba”.

Tell us a little bit about Ocean97 and how you got into the shrimping business.

Oceans 97 CIRCA FEBRUARY 15th, 2015.

I did not really know what I was doing, but I asked myself, what do I have to lose?

I started working in the shrimp industry back in 2012. I owed a friend a favor and the favor I had to do was learn the shrimp business and help his family company create a new market. The New England area was my territory. I started a six-month internship and learned everything under the shrimp roof. My first two weeks was mopping and cleaning floors and bathrooms. The job sucked but I had nothing to lose. I kept moving forward and drove almost four hours everyday (round trip) for work. I remember some weeks I peeled shrimp for eight hours a day and my fingers started failing; I couldn’t bend them, and my skin started to peel away like weathered leaves.

What advice do you have for those out there chasing their dreams?

For those who have big dreams and goals and want to change the world, the first thing you need to do is believe in yourself and trust “YOU” every day. People will say what you can’t do. Just do it! I stopped pinching myself a long time ago, I’m awake in my dreams.

For more information about Oceans 97 please visit their website at http://oceans97.com/

Oceans 97, Inc. is a National Minority Supply Chain Company which began in 2015. The shrimp is wild caught from the Gulf of Mexico by U.S. gulf coast fishermen. Oceans 97’s shrimp and shrimp products reflect Green’s commitment to locally sourced and natural products. Green has become a leader in educating people about the health benefits of a diet rich in fresh and natural ingredients.

The company’s first entrée into the shrimp industry was as a wholesale distributor of shrimp in partnership with companies such as Dole & Bailey, founded in 1850 and currently the oldest butcher in North America. In just two years, Oceans 97 experienced rapid growth and distribution of its products nationwide. In July 2017, Oceans 97 launched a line of value added products which debuted on QVC via both their television and online programming. The shrimp and shrimp valued added products are now available in major retail locations such as Stop & Shop and Walmart (launch in Sept. ’18) as well as many restaurants and institutional food service locations. The line of gourmet shrimp and sauce meals are available in several sauce flavors that include New Orleans Style BBQ, Coconut Curry, Garlic Butter and Pomodoro.