Personal
Starks is the son of former professional defensive lineman Ross Browner. Ross Browner, who was a first-round selection in the 1978 NFL Draft by Cincinnati and started 36 of 43 games during his career. Browner was a two-time (1976, 1977) All-American defensive lineman at Notre Dame and won the Lombardi and Maxwell Awards. Presuming he was the biological son of Max Starks, III, he did not discover the identity of his actual biological father until he was in high school. In high school, Starks, whose family was involved in the funeral business, was known to drive a hearse to school.
The Browner family as a whole has had more players in the NFL than any other family. Ross' brothers Joey Browner, Jimmy Browner, and Keith Browner all played in the NFL. Starks's cousin, Keith Browner Jr., plays college football linebacker for the University of California.
Starks appeared in Chunky Soup commercials eating soup with Steelers back-up quarterback Charlie Batch, defensive tackle Casey Hampton and others.
In 2006, he traveled with Seattle Seahawks defensive end Bryce Fisher and Atlanta Falcons defensive end Patrick Kerney on the USO Tour, traveling to United States military bases, a tradition begun by such NFL greats as Frank Gifford and Johnny Unitas. In 2005 Starks visited the USS Theodore Roosevelt at sea, along with members of the Cincinnati Bengals coaching staff. In addition, he was heavily involved in the local community in college, including serving as a tutor in Gainesville, Florida while enrolled in school at the University of Florida, and working with Kids Against Drugs, Alcohol and Tobacco.
In college Starks became involved with the charity Cents of Relief which works to prevent human trafficking and allow access to healthcare for vulnerable populations, particularly women of prostitution and their children. He currently serves on the charity's Board of Directors.
Read more about this topic: Max Starks
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