In the middle of his sophomore year at the University of Miami, Orlando Franklin was selected by the Denver Broncos as a second-round pick in the National Football League draft.
Franklin would go on to play as an offensive lineman in the NFL for several years, retiring shortly after the birth of his first son. He says his proudest accomplishment to date is building a family with his wife, Kiaana.
With her blessing and support, he decided to return to the University of Miami to complete his degree in 2020. Now, Franklin is a proud graduate of the University.
Here, Franklin discusses his experience returning to campus as a retired NFL player, finding his wife, and the lessons he learned along the way.
Q: What made you decide to finish your degree?
Everything changed when I had my son in 2018. My wife had an emergency C-section in Denver, but I was playing for Washington at the time, so she and my son weren’t able to travel with me. I flew back and forth for a while, and I would be in tears on the tarmac when I had to leave.
I always wanted to be there for my son, to be the best father, so I decided to retire from the NFL that year. I say this to show you who I am and what I value.
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