Byron Franklin

Byron Paul Franklin (born September 3, 1958 in Florence, Alabama) is a former professional American football wide receiver in the NFL for the Buffalo Bills and Seattle Seahawks. He played college football at Auburn University. A native of Sheffield, Alabama, Franklin starred in football at Auburn from 1976–1980 and received a B.S. in vocational and distributive education in 1991. His professional football career lasted from 1981 to 1987. He served as assistant director of athletic development at AU from 1991-93. Appointed to the AU Board of Trustees by Gov. Don Siegelman, Franklin represented the 9th District from 1999 to 2012. During his term, he chaired the university Student Affairs committee. Franklin was licensed to minister in 1998, and is the pastor and CEO of the Living Word Church in Livingston, Alabama. He was the director of special marketing and public relations for Birmingham-based Buffalo Rock Co. from 1993 through 2010. He is currently a vice president of B.B.C. Foods, and the co-owner of Buffalo Connection restaurant in Auburn. Franklin is a husband and the father of four children.