Food & Beverage

Former Dallas Cowboy player expands role with Sonny's BBQ

Photo: Sonny's

May 6, 2024

Former professional football player Shannon Snell is joining Sonny's BBQ as head pitmaster and brand ambassador.

"Shannon has been an incredible asset to our team and we could not be more excited to have him at the helm of our visionary Pitmaster program," Jamie Yarmuth, Sonny's BBQ CEO, said in a company press release. "We knew the role of Head Pitmaster would take big shoes to fill, and as we worked together to find new leadership opportunities for Shannon, it became clear that he was the right person for the job.

"He has always embodied our company's ethos and the spirit of BBQ—bringing people together with Southern hospitality. Shannon is a natural fit for our company during this time of growth and is a pivotal part of our vision for Sonny's BBQ as an industry leader."

Snell joined Sonny's BBQ as a manager of a Gainesville location in 2008, after transitioning out of his pro football career with the Dallas Cowboys. After working his way up to general manager at Sonny's BBQ, he transitioned into brand ambassador for iServ, a franchisee, and has been serving Southern hospitality as a Pitmaster, coach, community leader and BBQ competitor ever since.

"The iServ team is proud to have supported Shannon's passion and commitment for the spirit of BBQ," Kyle Dixon, executive vice president of iServ, said in the release. "He's been a pillar of Sonny's BBQ culinary expertise and we're equally as excited to help elevate the Sonny's BBQ brand through this new role. This opens the smoker doors for our new and experienced Pitmasters to keep pushing their craft and expertise under the Sonny's BBQ banner."

As a former Florida Gators Offensive Guard and FirstTeam All-American, Snell calls Gainesville home and competes statewide in Florida on iServ's Sonny's BBQ-sponsored BBQ competition team Blackjack Oak.

"I'm incredibly proud to be coming home to the Sonny's BBQ team," Snell said in the release. "My love for this brand started as a child, enjoying slow-smoked BBQ with my family every week. I met founder Floyd "Sonny" Tillman while I was a Florida Gator and I realized that I could serve people as a part of my career—and I have for over 15 years now. It's an honor to continue to serve my community with good BBQ and Southern hospitality on an even bigger scale."

With nearly 100 locations spanning the southeast, Sonny's BBQ serves pulled pork, sweet tea and appetizers.