by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Bryan Barker joined the Jacksonville Jaguars when the new franchise first took the field in 1995. As one of the original players, he was one of the initial stars of the team and of the community.
Now, 15 years later, the former punter manages an insurance benefits firm but also continues to work on behalf of the team.
Barker, 46, is the coordinator of Jaguars Alumni Group Ambassadors and was an organizing member of the goodwill organization when it took shape around 2004, when the team was almost a decade old and enough Jaguars had retired to beef up the group.
“It is a great avenue for the former players to keep a foot in the door to stay connected. It’s great for the community because a lot of Jacksonville fans remember us original players,” said Barker.
“And it’s great for the team. We are an additional resource for them in terms of getting out in the community on behalf of the Jaguars.”
With 24 retired Jaguars on board now, Barker works with the Jaguars organization to arrange for the JAG Ambassadors to attend games to sign autographs and meet with suite holders and supporters.
The JAG Ambassadors also take part in charity events, give speeches, participate in community activities and help wherever they are needed on behalf of the Jaguars organization.
Barker was born with community connections.
While Barker grew up and started his football career in California, he not only was an original Jaguar but also was an original Northeast Florida resident.
Barker, the oldest of seven children, was born in Jacksonville Beach during the time that his father was stationed at Naval Station Mayport.
In another early connection to the future, his dad was a radio officer on a destroyer, whose code name happened to be “Jaguar.”
“It was very interesting to come back here,” said Barker. “It was a homecoming.”
Barker’s National Football League career spanned 16 years and 236 games with six teams, starting with the Kansas City Chiefs and ending with the St. Louis Rams. He retired in 2006.
His career included 1,132 punts, with 878 consecutive punts without a block, and a 42.1-yard career punting average.
Barker and his wife, Leah, also an athlete, live in Atlantic Beach and are raising three children.
Colin, a Bishop Kenny High School graduate, attends Auburn University on a track scholarship and also runs cross country. Trevor is a senior and punter at Bishop Kenny. Kilty is in seventh grade and runs cross country, plays flag football and has experience in gymnastics. She’s headed for Bishop Kenny, too, said Barker.
The Barkers also created the Let Us Play Foundation in 1996 to provide sports camps and scholarships for girls. He also is a member of the Leadership Jacksonville Class of 2008.
Barker said that he was asked throughout his career what he would do next.
“I always said I am not thinking about it because I didn’t want to lose the focus on football,” he said.
Before he retired, he joined Argus Benefits in 2003, setting up his post-NFL career.
He had majored in economics as he played football at Santa Clara University in California and put that knowledge to work.
Barker is the managing partner of Argus Benefits, having partnered with businessman Rob Taylor, who lives in Atlanta. Argus is a benefits brokerage and human resources strategy firm.
“We help the middle-market companies going through transitions, such as expansions or retractions, and we help them increase the performance of their business, with employee benefits as the anchor for what we do,” said Barker.
“What really appealed to me with Argus Benefits was the fact that it was a very competitive industry and I have been a part of competition for quite a while.”
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