LIFTING THOSE WHO LIFT A CITY
78% of NFL retirees have “gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of HEALTH, joblessness or divorce” within two years of their careers ending.
– 2009 Sports Illustrated Study
BEYOND THE 4TH QUARTER
EMOTIONAL
Anybody who has played understands there is a difficult transition that comes with life after the NFL. What may come as a surprise is how debilitating that process can be when your initial plans after football fall through. Much like other people changing careers, players who’ve lived their role on the field suddenly discover how intensely different the world can be away from it. With years of having a set daily routine and structure, players are not taught how to manage their own career or make everyday life decisions. Upon ending their careers, players can feel like they no longer have a team— they can feel like they’re left alone on the streets. Help us find their new team.
“It’s hard because they spend the rest of their lives being shadows of who they were at 25.”
– Roman Oben (12yr NFL Veteran) ESPN by Jeffri Chadiha
“78% of NFL retirees have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress because of joblessness or divorce within two years of their career ending.”
– 2009 Sports Illustrated study
BEYOND THE 4TH QUARTER
FINANCIAL
NFL players are groomed from an early age to compete at the highest level. From a young age, they eat, sleep, and breathe football. Their dedication to the game and discipline to compete against the world’s best is evident on the field. However, that dedication and routine detracts from players’ abilities to make sound financial decisions setting them up for stability into retirement from the game. With their focus on their team and performance, many players do not understand the risk in financial decisions made based on outside influences such as family, friends, managers, or teammates. The average NFL career lasts roughly 3 years. The average retiring age in the league is in the early 30’s. NFL players trying to enter the market are now competing with other people already well established in their careers.
BEYOND THE 4TH QUARTER
PHYSICAL
It goes without saying that on a daily basis, NFL players put their bodies on the line. They push their bodies to their physical limits to perform at their peak. Players cannot take a break for injury without risk of losing their job and they don’t always understand that the rigor of their training and physical toll the game takes on their bodies make them more susceptible to long term health issues after they retire. Players give it their all day in and day out, on and off of the field for their team and their fans. This dedication to excellence in competition puts players at a higher risk for health complications than the general public.
