Josh Mallard has a history of achieving big goals even when they don’t seem possible. This is the same guy who had 36 sacks in his senior season of high school football as a nose tackle, albeit with a 250-pound frame.

Mallard played four years of football at UGA, eight years in the NFL, was an actor, professional poker player, and is now using his business connections to get medical supplies to healthcare professionals in a global pandemic.

“I’m just a dumb football player and I’m getting calls from the government, from CEOs of hospitals,” Mallard said. “Part of it is sad because they really have nowhere else to turn. I enjoy being able to help people and put on the line to come through for them.”

Because he was consumed with football, Mallard did not get started in the business world until his mid-30’s. One of his business partnerships is selling lift chairs. It is through that supply chain that he learned how he could help American healthcare workers.

“We get our products out of China,” he said. “We were talking to our partner about four weeks ago. We mentioned that there are a lot of hospitals in need.”

That partner has a brother with connections to a Chinese factory that is FDA approved, a crucial requirement. Mallard says the small quantity of FDA approved factories in China is one reason shipping channels are backlogged.

“That started with two clients. Two went to four, four went to eight, eight went to 16. It multiplied from there,” Mallard said.

These are big orders too. Some orders are comprised of a million units of equipment. Protectives masks remain in high demand. There is an emerging need for disposable gowns.

Mallard says his life is consumed with business during the pandemic, as the end of a work day in America aligns with the beginning of another in China. He is fielding calls and emails from both sides of the globe at all hours.

“If you can come through for people and government, and maybe even help them learn from the mistakes they’ve made, that’s the positive in this.”

Mallard is back living in Savannah, his hometown and his first connection to UGA. His best friend growing up lived next door to the Seiler family and Uga. Mallard tells a story about riding with Uga to Athens for a gameday as his first exposure to the campus. Hear him tell that story and much more in our Dawg Days podcast.