The program, which started in 2018, helps connect former players with relevant job opportunities and resources, including resume reviews, career coaching, predictive index testing, job matching and interview coaching. The former players are also able to participate in certification programs and mock interviews and attend a career fair held each year at the Super Bowl.
“The one thing that I didn’t want to discount going through this process were their resource pieces,” said Lee, a linebacker who spent time with the Texans, Bills, Patriots and Lions between 2016-20. “I could do my own resume. I can do some of these things that seem very easy or simple, so to speak, but allowing someone else to come to the picture and add their professional eyes onto my life, it was very helpful. Sometimes we feel like we have to do everything ourselves, but the human resource that goes behind this, that’s the machine. People actually care. They’ve helped me through this process and along every step of the way.”
Seems wild to me that I’ve watched NFL football my whole adult life and I’ve never heard of this program or the NFL Player Care Foundation, so I thought I’d share. I do recall reading once that, despite having a 100% employer match, most NFL players didn’t invest in a retirement plan. (This was like 20 years ago though.)
I also think there should be more done on the front-end for football players on a track to be drafted, such as a specialized physical education degree that emphasizes financial literacy, public speaking, basic public relations, and (of course) physical training.