Graduation Day is a special day for thousands of graduates, but for one Aggie it was especially sweet.

Ty Warren left A&M for the NFL back in 2003 and always wanted to come back and finish his degree.

That goal is no longer a dream but a reality, even if it did come at a steep price.

"Everybody that knows what this means to me is excited about this whole deal," said Warren.

The Warren family couldn't hold back their emotions as Aggie Ty Warren walked towards the graduation stage.

"You just can't express how happy and how proud of him we all are. He just never gives up. He kept going and going," said Ty's wife, Kesha.

After being drafted by the Patriots in 2003, Ty promised he'd be back to finish his degree. Then in 2010 a hip injury forced him to take a year off from football and the reasons to return to school were piling up.

"Family, my kids, life after football, my relationship and love for this university. There were a lot of things that went into this decision," said Warren.

In order to get to graduate, Ty had to forgo a $250,000 dollar bonus from the New England Patriots. It's a price he says he'd pay over and over.

"The money, that comes and goes. Morals, they're concrete. They stick with you for a long time," said Warren.

And that determination has rubbed off on others in the NFL.

"What I've gotten from this whole experience is other players that I play with, influencing them to come back. They've come to me and said they'd like to finish their degree as well," said Warren.

And despite having two Super Bowl rings, wearing his Aggie ring is an easy decision.

"It's not hard. Aggie ring all day," said Warren with a smile.

Depending on the NFL lockout, Ty is scheduled to be back with the New England Patriots this season for the final year of his current contract .