“Gripped” Relationships: Jordan, Taylor, & Marc Dunkin

Our character relationship series continues with Jordan, Taylor, and Marc Dunkin.  At age 20, Jordan is making the most of his opportunities at Notre Dame both on and off the field. At age 23, Taylor is in a predicament no one saw coming he’s in the fight of his life—not just to get back on the field but to escape from a world of organized crime. At age 18, Marc is excited to chase his dreams at BC, but the problems of people he cares deeply about threaten to hold him back.

Taylor was both Marc and Jordan’s idol for the majority of their lives. He was the one setting football records year after year, earning near perfect grades, and accumulating accolade after accolade. Taylor always made a point to help his brothers succeed and to support them on and off the field. However, after a season-ending injury leaves Taylor without football, he struggles to understand his identity apart from the sport that dominated his life for close to 2 decades and spirals into a deep depression.

Jordan, the middle brother, lived somewhat quietly in the shadows of Taylor, also setting football records and earning high grades, but a lot of his achievements went unnoticed by his parents, who were uber focused on Taylor’s promising career. Due to Jordan’s fun-loving and jovial nature, his parents never took him as seriously as Taylor or Marc, who are both “old souls.” Jordan is full of surprises though, and he ends up being much more of an all-star than anyone expected.

Marc, the youngest, looks up to Taylor but resents Jordan. Being fairly close in age with Jordan, Marc ends up in a love triangle with a him and Michelle Taylor. This taints his perspective of Jordan in a blinding way, making Marc believe his brother is capable of treacherous things. But Marc is able to finally set aside his feelings when he needs to team up with Jordan to help Taylor, who finds himself in a life or death situation.