The iconic football figure, who was meant to lead this year’s Columbus Day Parade, still embraced his “Italian heritage” on Monday, even though the event faced rain for the first time in its 81-year history.
“Rain or shine, I’ll always be proud of my Italian roots and my hometown of New York,” Joe Moglia, the designated grand marshal, insisted, trying not to let the dreary weather dampen his spirits.
“Even with the parade canceled, the events from this weekend, including the gala and today’s lovely Mass led by Cardinal Dolan, will always stand out as highlights in my life,” he shared in a post on X.
Moglia, who is 76, mentioned last week that the calls to honor him as grand marshal surpassed any attention he received during his coaching days.
This enthusiasm brought back nostalgic memories of when he was offered the head coaching position at Coastal Carolina University some 20 years ago.
“I never saw it coming! Being the grand marshal of the Columbus Day Parade is honestly the greatest honor I’ve ever received,” he expressed, acknowledging the “overwhelming” feel of leading this 81st annual march.
“I truly feel grateful.”
Last month, the Columbus Citizens Foundation picked Moglia for this honor, recognizing his remarkable achievements as CEO and chairman of TD Ameritrade. He left a long-standing career to return to pursue his passion for football.
Moglia abandoned the glitz of Wall Street and started at the ground level in football, eventually climbing the ranks to become the head coach of Coastal Carolina University’s Division I team, where he guided the Chanticleers to three consecutive Big South championships.
Before he became not just a football icon but also the “Wolf of Wall Street,” Moglia was just a shy boy from Inwood, with parents who struggled to make ends meet.
His father was from Italy and his mother from Ireland; both had limited education and raised five kids in a cramped two-bedroom apartment on Dickman Street.
“Growing up, it was a gang-laden area, and I was involved in that life,” Moglia admitted, recalling how he started stealing and drinking with friends by the age of 10.
Sadly, two of his friends faced tragic endings—one through an overdose and another killed during a failed robbery at a liquor store by police.
“Had I not played football at Fordham Prep… I might have gone down a different path. That really woke me up,” he said, referring to the Bronx Catholic High School he attended and later coached.
Devoted to both sports and academics, Moglia carved out a new path for himself, ultimately becoming Grand Marshal of the largest Italian Celebration March in the United States, which was sadly canceled due to a state of emergency declared by Governor Kathy Hochul because of heavy rain impacting the tri-state area.
The Columbus Civic Foundation, which organizes the Manhattan parade, announced the cancellation just over 12 hours prior to the event.
During Moglia’s long coaching career, many former players, including some from his stint at Florham Prep in the 1960s, would have lined Fifth Avenue to cheer as they led the parade.
Moglia first took the coaching role at Archmere Academy at age 22, making him the youngest coach in state history, and ten years later achieved his ambition of serving as defensive coordinator at Dartmouth College.
However, the salary wasn’t enough to support his four children, prompting Moglia to switch career paths at 34 for financial reasons.
Eventually, he leveraged his economics degree from Florham at Merrill Lynch, working there for 17 years before becoming CEO of TD Ameritrade in 2001, a role he held for seven years.
Yet, football never left Moglia’s heart. He returned to the sport in 2008, starting in an unpaid role at Nebraska, moving to become the head coach of the Omaha Nighthawks in the United Football League, and ultimately gaining recognition as Coastal Carolina’s second head coach.
While his notable achievements include 12 Hall of Fame inductions and various accolades, Moglia emphasizes that the relationships he built over the years truly represent his greatest rewards.
“That’s what matters to me. At the end of the day, leadership isn’t about who you are; it’s about the people you’re responsible for,” he reflected.
