Al Baker, nicknamed “Bubba,” a former American football defensive end who played in the NFL from 1978 to 1990, lives with his family, including his wife of 34 years, Sabrina, in Avon, Ohio.
The couple has two children, a daughter named Brittany and a son named James.
Baker, a graduate of Weequahic High School in Newark and an alumnus of Colorado State, left an indelible mark on the NFL. He was drafted in the second round of the 1978 draft by the Detroit Lions.
Standing tall at 6-6 and weighing in at 250 pounds, he was a formidable force on the field, boasting an impressive combination of speed and strength.
Right from the start of his career, Baker demonstrated his prowess, recording a remarkable 23 sacks (although unofficially tracked at that time) during his rookie year, including five sacks in a single game against the Bucs.
Over his five-season tenure with the Lions, Baker proved to be a consistent and impactful player, starting an impressive 66 out of 67 games.
Al Baker Wife Sabrina And Two Kids: Controversy With Daymond John
Al Baker, a former NFL player, once expressed his ambition to secure a fortune through football.
His goal was to enable his son to pursue a different path, becoming a doctor and sparing him from the dangers of the sport he considered “dumb.”
Nowadays, Baker resides in Avon, Ohio, alongside his wife Sabrina.
While he formerly owned a well-known restaurant, Bubba’s Q World-famous Bar-B-Que & Catering in Avon, it has since closed its doors.
His journey took an intriguing turn when he appeared on the popular ABC-TV show Shark Tank on December 6, 2013.
During the show, entrepreneur Daymond John invested $300,000 for a 30 percent share in Queen Ann Inc., a food company founded by Baker and his children, Brittani and James.
Controversy With Daymond John
As part of the deal, Baker licensed his patent for de-boning pork ribs, and the innovative product, Bubba’s-Q Boneless Baby Back Ribs, gained popularity and success.
They were sold in stores, online, and on QVC, and even featured on Good Morning America.
However, in 2023, Baker voiced his grievances regarding the Shark Tank deal.
He claimed to have received only $659,653 in total, despite the business generating over $16 million in revenue.
Daymond John refuted these claims, explaining that the Bakers’ share, approximately 4% of revenue, was due to the challenging profit margins in the food industry, and he ultimately suffered a net loss on their arrangement.
This dispute escalated, and John filed a lawsuit against the Bakers, alleging that their social media campaign had tarnished his reputation and caused him financial losses in speaking engagements.
As the legal proceedings unfolded, a federal judge ruled that the Bakers had violated a previous settlement in 2019.
This led to a preliminary injunction and restraining order granted to Daymond John in June.
This order prohibited the Bakers from making disparaging remarks about their business relationship and required them to remove any previously-posted content.
The injunction and restraining order were later reviewed and made permanent in July.