Support for Players, On and Off the Field

NFL Player Engagement’s (PE) programs and initiatives set up players for success, on and off the field. Special offerings and resources assist players with making the most out of their time in the league and position them to succeed when they transition from their time as a player.

NFL Rookies

Becoming an NFL player represents the fulfillment of a life-long dream. Professionally, personally and financially, a player’s life — and the life of his family — is about to change. An NFL career provides tremendous opportunities but comes with some challenges. NFL Player Engagement is there from day one to assist players as they make this transition.

Rookie programming

PE connects with rookies well before they play in their first NFL game. Every summer, each team provides rookies and undrafted free agents with information, resources and expert advice to support them in their transition to the NFL. Many teams make current players and NFL Legends — who have experience making this transition — available as mentors for the incoming class. The program consistently evolves to apply updated principles in clinical research, psychology, and social education. Additionally, players are provided League policies and collectively bargained benefits.

Rookie programming is delivered by team clinicians and field experts in a variety of formats and is administered under the direction of the Head of Player Engagement with support from the NFL PE department. Modules reinforce personal and professional developmental activities, such as ways to improve decision-making skills and how to use the resources available to them and their families. Other areas of focus include player health & safety, benefits, time management, total wellness, domestic violence awareness, financial literacy and other transferable skills.

All Players

NFL Player Engagement provides all players a platform to grow personally, professionally, academically and financially. Opportunities have focused on real estate, franchising, entrepreneurial skills, day-in-the-life career tours for the sneaker, film, and music industries, as well as financial offerings and brand building.

• NFL-NCAA Coaches Workshop– Coaches, general managers, athletic directors and other experts share their knowledge and insight on the ins and outs of coaching at the collegiate and professional levels.
• Entrepreneurship & Real Estate Workshop– Successful entrepreneurs, philanthropists and real estate moguls explain options for starting a business or charity and provide players with access to personal networks.
• Officiating Workshop– The NFL Officiating Department provides instruction about various aspects of officiating and introduces current players and Legends to the potential of a career in officiating.

• Brand Management Workshop– Industry experts share with current players and Legends how to tell their story, tailor their message to specific audiences, and build and grow their influence.  
• Wealth Management Workshop– Professional financial experts show players, legends and significant others how to spend, invest, save and grow their NFL earnings wisely.
• Broadcasting & Media Workshop– Instructors from top broadcast and radio networks provide current players and Legends who aspire to become broadcasters with on-set training and lessons on editing, show preparation, field reporting, production, control room operations, and more.
• Advocacy in Sport Workshop– NFL players and athletes from other sports and select students learn how to develop and implement effective advocacy platforms. Provided in partnership with the Ross Initiative in Sports for Equality (RISE) and Morehouse College.

Life After Football

Eventually, every football player will transition to new interests and career opportunities. Players, who have pursued their football careers with unwavering dedication for most of their lives, may find the transition challenging. 

NFL Player Engagement (PE) is here to serve, equip, and empower players and their families during their transition and beyond by supporting them as they pursue new career paths, earn degrees or certifications, budget for the future and connect with other Legends. PE programs connect players with information about potential careers, internships, networking opportunities and more, so players can use the traits that made them successful on the field and apply them to their next opportunity.

LIFE BEYOND THE GAME

The Life Beyond the Game program equips and empowers Legends with information, resources and transition coaches to support them and their families in the next transition — mentally, emotionally, physically and financially.

“The program allows us to take a step back, find some of those transferable skills, and then apply those same things that have made us great in football to make us great in life after,” said Freddie Scott II, Falcons Legend and founder of Unlock the Champion, a national performance and leadership development company, providing strategic planning, executive coaching, and leadership development.

• Life Beyond the Game provides insight from Transition Coaches who are specifically trained to work with players and their families on the emotional, physical, and financial phases of transitions. Participants also get a chance to take an in-depth look at career building, networking and an introduction to entrepreneurship and franchising.
• Transition Coaches are NFL Legends who understand what players are going through and serve as mentors, supporters and sounding boards for players who are transitioning from the game. They are trained and certified in life transitions, mental health first aid, relationship management and applied suicide intervention skills. As the an outreach facilitator for Legends, these high-character coaches provide peer-to-peer engagement at the start of the transition process and beyond. 

“That’s what this program and that’s what being a transition coach is all about,” says Jets Legend Chad Pennington, “to use each other as [resources and] an extended locker room outside of the game to be able to figure out what every one of our paths should be and is going to be.”

Annual Super Bowl Events

NFL Player Engagement hosts annual events during Super Bowl week for players, Legends and their families, including: 

• Family and Football Clinic – NFL families create lasting memories during Super Bowl week with an on-field football clinic, fun activities, and the opportunity to learn valuable parenting tips.
• Social Justice Town Hall – Players and Legends join other professional athletes, academics, law enforcement officials, and social justice leaders for candid, solution-oriented conversations around race, class, gender and full democracy. The town halls pay special attention to police policies, needed legislative changes, shared responsibility and accountability.