All about Tobias Dorzon: NFL stats, his wife, and transition to celebrity chef
Tobias Dorzon's NFL stats are not extensive after leaving the game to pursue his passion for cooking. In his June 2023 interview with Voyage Baltimore, the successful celebrity chef described himself as:
Someone with a passion for bringing people together to experience great food—unapologetically himself and undeniably a beast in the kitchen.
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Key takeaways
- Tobias Dorzon played in the practice squads of two NFL teams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Tennessee Titans, and later joined the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the CFL.
- After attending culinary school, Dorzon operated a catering business and a food truck before opening a restaurant in Maryland.
- Dorzon's father worked as a US chef after emigrating from Liberia in West Africa and settling in Maryland.
Tobias Dorzon's profile summary
| Full name | Tobias ‘Bloi-Dei’ Dorzon |
| Date of birth | November 23, 1984 |
| Age | 40 years old as of March 2025 |
| Place of birth | New Carrollton, Maryland, United States |
| Current residence | Riverdale, Maryland |
| Heritage | West African (Liberian) |
| Religion | Christian |
| Height | 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m/175 cm) |
| Weight | 205 pounds (93 kg) |
| Parents | Patience and Edwin Dorzon |
| Children | Riley McKenzie, Torienne Dorzon |
| Education | Jackson State University, Art Institute of WashingtonItalian Culinary Institute |
| Profession | Celebrity chef, restaurateur, retired football athlete |
| Position | Running back |
| Net worth | Between $1 million and $5 million |
| Social media | InstagramX (Twitter) |
What are Tobias Dorzon's NFL stats?
Tobias Dorzon never played an NFL game but was part of the practice squads. In 2008, Dorson recorded 70 rushing attempts for 250 yards, with 2 touchdowns. He attended Jackson State University, where he played for the Jackson State Tigers from 2008 to 2010.
Dorzon practised with the Tennessee Titans in 2010 as a free agent for a few months before joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He later signed with the Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League during the 2012 season, where he ran 108 yards in three games. Tobias Dorzon played the running back position.
Source: Original
Tobias Dorzon's football career lasted three years. He told CBS in February 2024 that he decided to follow his passion for cooking after the field became unfulfilling, but the experience made him a great cook.
I lost my love for football because it became a job. Whenever something becomes a job, it's almost like, 'What do you do next?' I was always an amazing Chef who just knew how to play football.
Source: Instagram
Tobias Dorzon had a smooth transition from the NFL to the kitchen
Tobias nurtured his fine dining skills by enrolling at the Art Institute of Washington during the off-season in 2012. He also studied at the Italian Culinary Institute in Sicily. He told WTOP in August 2022 that he had a smooth switch from the field to culinary.
The transition from football to cooking wasn't really as hard as people make it seem because culinary was something I always loved.
Dorzon started a catering business in 2014 called Victory Chef and later had a food truck serving the Washington, D.C. area. He was also a personal chef to several pro athletes in the NFL and the NBA, including Santana Moss, LeBron James, and Tyrod Taylor.
He has cooked for celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Kevin Hart, and Chris Brown. In 2021, Tobias was named the executive chef of Thirteen, a Houston-based restaurant owned by NBA player James Harden.
Source: Getty Images
Tobias Dorzon is an award-winning celebrity chef and restaurateur
Tobias Dorzon owns two high-rated restaurants in Prince George's County. He opened his first restaurant, Huncho House, in August 2022. He later launched 1123 By Chef Tobias in Hyattsville in early 2024.
The former running back was named 2024 Chef of the Year by the Restaurant Association of Maryland for his work at Huncho House. He is the first chef from Prince George's County to receive the honour.
Source: Getty Images
What happened to Tobias in the Tournament of Champions?
The NFL player-turned-chef competed in season 5 of Guy Fieri's Tournament of Champions in 2024 but was defeated by chef Maneet Chauhan. He has appeared on other Food Network's reality cooking shows, including Guy's Grocery Games and Chopped. Tobias currently hosts a cooking show called Timeout with Tobias on Hulu and ESPN.
Source: Getty Images
Tobias Dorzon's love for cooking is inspired by his West African heritage
The retired pro-athlete was born to Liberian immigrants. He used to cook with his father, who operated a West African restaurant called Kendejah in Washington, D.C. He told the Houston Chronicle's Preview in January 2021 that his dad's culinary achievements inspired him.
His work ethic is second to none. Lots of people have superheroes. He's mine.
Tobias works hard to make his parents proud. During the opening of his 1123 restaurant, he shared a video of his mother, writing,
This might have been the greatest moment of my life thus far. I wanted to do it before my parents left this planet. Letting my mom know that she's the love of my life and one of the main reasons why I grind the way I do, I'm blessed. Mom, I love you.
Source: Instagram
Tobias Dorzon is a doting girl dad
Chef Tobias welcomed daughter Riley McKenzie in March 2006, when he was 21. His second daughter, Torienne, was born in April 2014. Dorzon often shows love for his daughters. In June 2023, he shared a series of pictures with them with the caption,
Forever...Riley and Tori, thank you for making me a father. I love both of you more than life.
Source: Instagram
Who is Tobias Dorzon's wife?
The former NFL athlete is not married and has shared little about his baby mamma. In May 2024, he thanked Riley's mother, Tiffany, for raising their daughter. Chef Tobias' girlfriend came into the limelight in late 2024 after the two were involved in a robbery incident, which left them both hospitalized.
Source: Instagram
Tobias Dorzon survived a shooting incident
In November 2024, Dorzon was shot multiple times during a violent robbery in Hyattsville, Maryland. He was returning home with his girlfriend from a night out when five gunmen ambushed them as they were coming out of their car. He credited God for sparing his life while talking to NBC Washington in January 2025.
My life flashed in front of my eyes. Just faith, man. Just having faith in God, and just knowing that it was something more here for me...In that moment, you're just thinking that is pretty much it—God has a plan for me, and the fact that I'm still here is a blessing.
Source: Getty Images
While Tobias Dorzon's NFL stats do not place him among the greatest athletes, his bold leap to culinary is paying off. He continues to redefine what it means to pivot careers by following where your true passion lies.
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Source: Briefly News
