By Jim Gehman, Player Engagement Insider
Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Tony Washington is spending part of the offseason exploring what could become a career after football.
Participating in the NFLPA’s (NFL Players Association) Externship program, Washington is spending three weeks in Baltimore, Maryland at Under Armour – a widely recognized company that designs and manufactures sports apparel, shoes and accessories – learning about the business and gaining experience.
“I wanted to do something in the offseason to better myself and just explore other things besides football,” Washington said. “And so when I saw that the NFLPA had the externship program and had all these different companies you could go to, I decided to look into it. I thought it would be something that could be interesting.”
Interesting and eye opening.
“I would say probably the biggest surprise is just how much time and effort goes into everything,” Washington said. “You kind of take for granted when you see shoes or clothes on the rack. You think, ‘Yeah, they probably made this in the last six months or whatever.’ But pretty much everything they make – from clothes to shoes – is two years in advance.
“It’s a process. It takes a few months for the initial concept design to launch. They’ve got four or five designers that are all trying to design different concepts for the same shoe. They might go and design it and don’t like it and change it. They’ll try different materials and different molds. And once they get something they like, they’ll make the first prototype of the shoe.
“And then after they get the mold and the initial stuff, they take it to what they call wear-testers. They basically try to wear them out and see if they can find any flaws. (Under Armour will then) take a survey and bring it back and change it. And then they’ll do another one of those until they get it just right and ready for the release. So many people’s hands touch everything before it goes to market. They want to make sure that there’s nothing wrong with the product, that they’re durable and people like it.”
Washington has discovered that he likes one aspect of the shoe manufacturing process in particular – designing.
“I showed an interest in footwear and did a couple sketches,” Washington said. “So now I’ll be doing more things with footwear and just trying to learn that business. I’ve always liked to draw and so it kind of makes sense that you’d design shoes. You draw them and see that concept come to light.
“Under Armour approaches footwear and apparel as an innovative company. They pride themselves on being a performance based company. They’re always trying to put the newest technology into their shoes and into their clothes.
“I got to talk to the product line manager for football and see all the cleats that are coming out this fall. It’s cool to have a little preview before anybody else.”
Besides receiving the sneak peek, Washington also appreciates that the externship offers him the opportunity to not only learn about Under Armour, but network and build a professional relationship. He hopes that his work ethic and potential will be noticed by those in the business and he’ll be looked at as more than just a football player.
“The biggest thing I hope to take is the relationships that I make here,” Washington said. “I think it’s important to show people that yes you’re an athlete, but you respect what they do in their business and you’re not just going to come here for three weeks and shoot the breeze. You really want to put in the effort and take interest in what they do. I think that shows first of all, that you’re serious about what you’re doing, and also that you can get their respect.
“Hopefully the people at Under Armour, if I was to apply for a job here or elsewhere, they would become people who could vouch for me and help me get places. I hope that they take away that I’m somebody who is a diligent worker. That they can see my skills and what I can offer to a company whenever I do leave the game of football.”
When that day does come, as Washington has demonstrated by taking part in the externship, he wants to be prepared. He wants to step into the next phase of his life with confidence.
“I came in (to the NFL in 2014) as a guy who is an undrafted free agent. I started out in Indy and was cut after the preseason and came down to Jacksonville and have been in Jacksonville the past two years. I know every year I have to go out and bust my butt to make the team. Nothing’s going to be handed to me.
“You’re always going to give 100 percent and work hard, but any given Sunday whether it’s because of an injury or whether it’s just the direction the team is going, it could be your last game. You always have to be cognizant and thinking about what would you do if something should happen today and you didn’t play football anymore.
“I never want to be in a position where football is taken away from me, whether it be tomorrow or 10 years from now, and I’m foundering around and don’t know how to live a life without it.”