As Horned Frogs across the nation cheer on the TCU football team and Heisman Trophy finalist - Max Duggan - Neeley celebrates him as one of our own, a graduate and a newly announced NFL draft prospect.
December 18, 2022
By Tiara Ellis Richard
Before the world learned about Max Duggan’s poise under pressure, leadership, innovation and grit, he was a TCU Neeley School of Business student showcasing what it means to be nimble and ready on day one. Those skills translate well for Duggan on and off the field.
Today Duggan is a Heisman Trophy finalist, Davey O’Brien Award winner, NFL draft prospect and a TCU Neeley graduate. On December 17, Duggan walked across the stage in TCU’s Ed and Rae Schollmaier Arena with more than 700 classmates and accepted his business degree.
“One of the reasons I chose to come to TCU was the value of earning a TCU degree, and especially from the Neeley School of Business. I knew it would position me well for the future,” Duggan said.
“I cannot thank my professors and advisors enough for the incredible learning opportunities I enjoyed in the classroom,” he said. “The student experience at TCU is unmatched. I am very proud to call myself a TCU graduate.”
Duggan’s experience, especially during his senior year, is a lesson in perseverance and embodies the Neeley Promise to unleash human potential with leadership at the core and innovation in our spirit.
When Sonny Dykes joined TCU as the new head football coach last year, Duggan worked to demonstrate why he deserved to remain the starting quarterback and team leader. It didn’t go as planned and another player would start the season opening game. Regardless, Duggan said he remained at TCU for his teammates and to graduate from Neeley.
Earlier this season, Duggan told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, “Finishing my four years and what I said out of high school, when I committed, when I signed I said I wanted to be here for four years and graduate from TCU. I want to do what I can to help them win, leave it in a better spot and leave a legacy.”
To achieve that goal, Duggan continued to work hard, support his team, and remain ready. In the first game of the season the starting quarterback was injured and Duggan was called upon to lead his team. He’s done so since then. When in a position to win throughout the season, Duggan regularly took the lead and powered the Horned Frogs to victory.
One day after graduation, Duggan declared his intentions to enter the 2023 NFL Draft and expressed his gratitude to TCU, Neeley, his teammates and family.
“Thank you for allowing me to be a part of this amazing university,” Duggan wrote. “Thank you for the cheers, support, passion, and the opportunity to play the game. To have all this in front of the best fans in the nation is the most fortunate college career I could have imagined.”
As graduate of the business program, Duggan had to make sure everyone understood that his time at TCU is still not over. The team will play against the University of Michigan in the Fiesta Bowl on December 31. As Duggan put it, “We still have business to take care of.”
