By Charles Way
Vice President, NFL Player Engagement
As the curtain closed on the field for this NFL season with the Super Bowl last night, this morning the curtain rises for NFL Player Engagement (NFLPE) as our off-the- field offerings take center stage.
And what an NFLPE season we have planned for you!
It kicks off in just a few short weeks with the NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy, and rolls right on through the spring, with Boot Camps that aim to educate individuals on Consumer Products, Personal Finance, Franchising, Sports Journalism and Communications, and Broadcasting. Additionally, we will again feature our Business Management & Entrepreneurial Program.
The purpose of all of these programs is to assist you in your transition from the game of football, and now that the season is over your preparation should start, no matter where you are in your career!
As a former player myself, and in talking with current and former players, the overwhelming theme I hear is that “I wish I had started preparing for life after football when I was a rookie. Because now I realize, I missed out on a number of great opportunities that may never come around again for me.”
In other words, take advantage of all the opportunities and programs that are made available to you, by your Club and the League, because you will never know when you’ve played your last snap.
For me personally, the day after the Super Bowl always hits home because it’s a constant reminder of missed opportunities. You see, because of a knee injury, I had to retire the year prior to what would have been my first Super Bowl appearance. And although I’ve been able to come to terms with my situation and I have a job that keeps me close to the game, at times early on in my post-playing career it was hard to let go. After speaking with other guys who have left the game, I realized that I am not alone.
Transition is part of the game and one day we all will go through it, but the question we need to ask ourselves when we do is: How well have we prepared? Transition is hard, not easy. ust ask the 14,000 plus players that have been a part of this game. But fortunately for you, you’re not alone in this journey.
With the help of your Club’s Director of Player Engagement and the NFLPE staff, we will work with you to develop the perfect game plan for a successful transition from the game.
But we all must realize that, although there are many success stories and players who say that the NFL did a great job preparing them for their transition, it was still a difficult process for many to go through.
As a player, you are making more money than perhaps you ever thought you would, so why prepare when you don’t think you need to do so?
Transition goes far beyond finances. It is really more about your emotional and psychological well-being, specifically how you feel about yourself. Often, we find that the amount of money you may have does not directly translate to your self-worth.
So with the offseason officially under way, now is a good time to ask yourself if 2014 was a good year, and if so how you can build upon that progress in 2015. If 2014 was not what you wanted, then all the more reason to kick off 2015 today so you find fulfillment this year.
Either way, it won’t be easy. In any transition, there are growing pains that make it hard, but the key is that you are growing as a person and learning new lessons every step of the way. So if you feel on Feb. 2, 2015 that you are not prepared for the transition you find yourself in, we have resources available that will assist you.
Please reach out to your Club DPE or someone from the NFLPE staff and we will be glad to walk alongside you on this amazing journey.
To access the programs and resources available to you as an NFL player, visit www.nflengagementzone.com or call 855-4PE-2472.