By Justin DeFreece
NFL Player Engagement
This season 38 former NFL players with playing experience ranging from 1-19 years learned from the very best faculty, executives, and life coaches that the prestigious Stanford Graduate School of Business has to offer. Former gridiron titans were welcomed into the first Bay Area NFL Career Transition Program in a reception dinner keynoted by former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Rice wove a beautiful tapestry of her own historic climb through the ranks as an unlikely success story of an individual who leveraged her expertise in Russian foreign policy to reach the highest levels of government. The story was a perfect metaphor for an NFL players’ rise into the pros. She then further united the room by providing inspired insights into the feasibility of overcoming obstacles and transition with relentless focus, faith, and perseverance.
Day two was when the work began. Players worked through rigorous Myers-Briggs personality assessments and were able to make usable connections about their own personalities, what drives them, and where they fit in the hierarchy of corporate America. In the next session, NFL Ambassadors Luther Elliss, Tony Stewart, Antonio Freeman, Omare Lowe, and Chris Draft facilitated personal realizations and highlighted sentiments held by many players as they leave the field. Group discussions led by Fast Lane coaches helped players devise strategies for building strong relationships and keeping the lines of communication among their families and peers.
Day three was when the program literally began to heat up… as the A.C. was down in the main classroom. However, attendees, true to NFL style, pushed through the heat and engaged in presentations covering communication styles from some of the greatest minds of all time (including Steve Jobs), ways to design happiness, evaluate business opportunities, and make sound financial planning decisions.
The event culminated in an a player panel lead by Antonio Freeman, Omare Lowe, Ralph Brown, and NFL Player Engagement Manager, James Thrash. Panelists weighed in with honesty and shared stories of their own successes and failures in transition to give attendees a running start. James wrapped the panel with a moving speech and steadfast promise to stand united with NFL players through both the good and the bad. The last day ended with a handful of NFL Network interviews; an experiential career fair filled with career coaching and mock interviews from Fortune 500 companies; and a session with LinkedIn executives. It is safe to say the program will be returning to the West Coast soon. Clearly there’s magic in the California air.