By Mark Eckel, Player Engagement Insider
Roman Oben was prepared for life after football, perhaps, he says, too prepared
Oben played offensive tackle for 12 years in the NFL. A third-round pick of the New York Giants in the 1996 NFL Draft out of the University of Louisville, he also played for the Cleveland Browns, won Super Bowl XXXVII with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and finished his career with the San Diego Chargers.
During his time in San Diego, Oben developed a corporate fellowship with Chargers players at Pepsi Bottling Group in San Diego, and after retiring in 2008 was an adjunct professor teaching sports administration at Fairleigh Dickinson University. Oben also worked for CBS in media sales, started his own flag football company, and now is back with the NFL, as the league’s Director of Youth and High School Football.
“You’re always transitioning,’’ Oben said. “The tough part is you missed a life career cycle. It was harder in some ways because I was prepared. My best friend from college is a vice president, general counsel of Morton Salt in Chicago. He went to law school right away, became an attorney at 26. I’m never going to get those years back when you start your career in the real world at age 35.
“I took the necessary steps throughout my career so that I would be in the best position possible to make as many good decisions as I could when football was over.’’
Oben got to work on his Master’s degree in public administration after he graduated a semester early from Louisville. He then took advantage of the NFL’s player development program and obtained his degree from Fairleigh Dickenson while he was playing for the Giants.
“I always had a zeal for knowledge and education and especially when you grow up with a single mom. I grew up sitting in the back of a classroom in elementary school while my mom was going to night school for her MBA.
“Sometimes people took it the wrong way. At the 1996 NFL combines I would have scouts ask me ‘When it’s 3rd-and-10 are you going to be thinking about your stocks and bonds, or blocking (Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins defensive end) Bruce Smith?’ That’s absurd. You can do both. You never know how long the football part is going to last.’’
Oben got back into football through NFL as an advisor on key issues, before being named the director of Youth and High School Football in January 2015.
“I knew there were a lot of challenges in the youth leagues,’’ he said. “I knew participation numbers were dropping. I knew that people needed to be educated properly. With my education background, my football credibility and the fact I worked in the corporate world, I thought I could succeed.
“The biggest challenges for me were the external challenges. People would come up to me and say ‘You look like you can still help the Giants, I bet you miss playing.’ No, I don’t miss playing. I miss the guys and the camaraderie. But I don’t miss playing. There’s a life after football.’’
Oben is passionate about what his new job entails; especially educating the public on the league’s efforts that are making the game safer for players at all levels.
“It’s a process,’’ he said. “We’ve made rules changes, protocol changes, and done so much to advance the science and technology to make the game safer. The average person may not be aware, the average fan may not be aware of how much has changed.
“Programs like USA Football’s Heads Up Football (HUF) are teaching players, parents and coaches on proper tackling, equipment fitting, concussion recognition. Coaches are trained and certified. The volunteer dads who coach kids and are using drills from the ‘80s, you can’t do that anymore. This has all led to a safer playing environment.
“I challenge people. Make an effort to be informed. Get the facts and understand what we’ve done to make the game safer. I wish I was growing up in this era and playing now.’’
It hasn’t been an easy sell to worrisome parents, but Oben and his staff are making strides, because they have the facts to show the game has become safer for today’s youth.
“Studies have shown that HUF leagues have lower injury rates and concussions than leagues that aren’t certified,” Oben said. “If you’re going to play football, play because it’s safer and better. Play because of the values and life lessons that will be learned. Don’t not play because of misinformed opinions or stories.”
At the end of the day Oben knows his message is getting across, at least to some.
“I can get up in the morning,’’ he said, “Look myself in the mirror and feel good about what I’m doing for future generations of our game.’’