By John Ingoldsby, Player Engagement Insider
Most NFL players are already in the off-season, but Andrew Hawkins is most certainly not taking this time off. Instead, the current Cleveland Brown, who also spent three seasons with the Cincinnati Bengals is pursuing a Master’s degree at Columbia University while living and training in Tampa.
That leads to a lot of frequent flier miles for the wide receiver, who flies from Tampa to New York City every Thursday for a full day of classes before landing back home at 1 a.m. each Friday.
“It’s the best of both worlds since my family and I get out of winter by living here in Tampa, where I can train, but I still get to attend a great school like Columbia,” Hawkins, a five-year NFL veteran, said.
A great college indeed, and just part of the grand plan for the product of Johnstown, Pennsylvania.
“It was always my dream to be a General Manager in sports, so I am now acting on that by seeking my Masters in Sports Management,” the Toledo University graduate said. “I know that doing this now will help me transition well when my playing days are over.”
That transition plan started last September when Hawkins started at Columbia by taking two classes online, and then stepped up his schedule in January to a full-time course load with his weekly round-trip to the Ivy League institution that will continue through the summer.
“It’s still my dream to be a GM, as well as potentially seeking some entrepreneurial aspirations, so I knew now was the time to take this step in laying the groundwork to help myself get there,” he said.
It was the right time to maximize the present while preparing for his future.
“Being an active player in the NFL provides us the opportunity to meet many people who have been successful, and between that and now being in school, I am constantly learning from people outside the game who have a vast variety of backgrounds,” Hawkins said.
A contrast that creates the perfect balance.
“Football is now a 12-month-a-year commitment with OTA’s (Organized Trained Activities), training camp, and actually playing during the season, so it can be easy to lose track of real life outside of football,” Hawkins said. “So school serves as a nice contrast to football.”
This type of perspective is not always the norm, but Hawkins was fortunate to have a front-row seat to watch his older brother Artrell carve out a stellar NFL career as a defensive back with the Bengals, Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots, and then transition into a successful second career in the media.
Additionally, Hawkins’ father, Artrell Sr., played running back at the University of Pittsburgh and then spent time with the Pittsburgh Steelers in the late 1970s.
“Having family in the NFL allowed me to see that transition from football is coming whether you are prepared or not, so I want to put myself in the best position to be ready for the real world,” Hawkins said. “So I would tell all fellow players to continue with their education and drive yourself.”