By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
Mike Daniels has advice for his Green Bay Packers teammates, as well as any other player in the league when it comes to the NFL’s Personal Finance Boot Camp.
Sign up for it.
Daniels attended the finance camp in 2016 along with his wife, Heaven, and came away so impressed, he made sure to tell all his teammates to attend as soon as possible.
This year’s camp, the fourth annual, will be held March 12-14 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
“I have definitely told other guys about it, because it was so helpful,’’ Daniels said. “And hopefully they’ll take my advice and go because it can really help them.’’
The Personal Finance Boot Camp was developed jointly by NFL Player Engagement, the University of Miami School of Business and TD Ameritrade. It offers players and their spouses an opportunity to get an in-depth understanding of the people, investments and forces in the financial world, and provides them with the opportunity to build generational wealth and maintain long-term financial security.
“It was just a plethora of information thrown at you in a three-day span,’’ Daniels said. “But, it was well worth it. I learned a lot. It was very, very helpful.’’
In the past players received instructions from University of Miami School of Business Administration faculty and TD Ameritrade financial professionals. Former NFL All-Pro defensive end Patrick Kerney, who played for the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks and is now the director of business development at National Fire and Casualty Investments, also spoke and gave financial advice.
Programs included Building Generational Wealth, Funding an Uncertain Lifespan, Planning and Building Your Portfolio, and Examining Wills, Trusts, Estate Planning. Players learn in groups, and also get one-on-one instruction.
Daniels, who will turn 29 in May, signed a five-year deal worth $41.6 million with the Packers in 2015. Unfortunately, he has seen athletes in the NFL and other sports sign similar deals and leave the game with nothing. He doesn’t plan on being one of those statistics.
“There’s no reason at all for that to happen,’’ Daniels said of the misfortune that has befallen some athletes. “But you see a lot of former players who struggle financially. With the resources we have access to there’s no reason why any football player, current or former, should be without a financial education It would be incredibly wise for everyone to increase their knowledge of how to handle their finances.’’
And that’s just part of what the Personal Finance Boot Camp does for the players in attendance.
“Absolutely,’’ Daniels said. “I have a whole flash drive full of information from it for my wife and I both. Working on increasing our financial knowledge was very beneficial. And I can’t stress enough for anybody and everybody, to increase their financial knowledge.’’
It’s not just numbers and where to invest your money, but also who to trust with your investments and what to ask them.
“There was a lot about how to invest, and how to go about it,’’ Daniels said. “What kind of questions you should ask your financial planner, or investor, if you have one. It was just a very beneficial seminar for me, and I think for everyone who was there.’’
The Personal Finance Boot Camp is just one of the career and professional development programs NFL Player Engagement offers to current and former players and their families. There is also the Business Academy held at the University of Michigan in February and the Bridge to Success for retired players held every fall in Orlando.