Frankly, My Dear, This Rhett Gives a Damn

Flickr: BruceFloyd

Errict Rhett (left) poses with a Gators fan.

​Broward County's a popular place for retired athletes -- for better, and in Jim Leyritz's case, for worse. Count Errict Rhett in that former category. The former Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back, who starred at the University of Florida and, before that, at McArthur High School in Hollywood.

Above, a video from the Gators' rousing 1991 SEC Championship victory over Kentucky, in which Rhett scored the game-winning touchdown.

Rhett, who rushed for more yards at Florida than Emmitt Smith, was the second round pick of the Bucs in 1994, and despite a contract holdout that same year, he broke the 1,000-yard milestone en route to winning the Rookie of the Year Award. But by 1996 Rhett had been slowed by injuries. He was traded to the Baltimore Ravens in 1998, then to Cleveland two years later, where retired at age 30 after a 7-year career.

In 2002 he founded the Errict Rhett Foundation, awarding scholarships to student from low-income families trying to pay college tuition. He told GatorCountry.com that the foundation gives 100 - 200 scholarships away every year.

Rhett also serves on the board of H.O.M.E., the nonprofit organization that builds and rehabs homes for poor and working class families. The former running back is the CEO of E. Rhett Custom Homes, a Plantation building company he runs with his family.

And if all that's not enough, Rhett still finds time to coach the running backs at  Piper High School in Sunrise.

Sounds like an all-around swell guy. Here's what he told GatorCountry.com about his charitable efforts:

"It is a responsibility and it is unfortunate that we don't have a lot of people doing that," Rhett said. "I watched my mother work so hard and it has always been a passion of mine to give back. I just literally enjoy giving. I don't know where it comes from. It feels so good to me, especially when you give to someone who literally appreciates it. Just to see the joy in their eyes..."