NFL Players Tackle Cases at HBS
Making a point: Professor Joe Lassiter leads a class on developing and evaluating business plans.
Photo by Thomas J. Fitzsimmons
On the field, they can be the fiercest of competitors. Off the field, thirty veteran NFL players teamed up to work toward a common goal during an intensive HBS custom Executive Education program this spring. Its goal was to help athletes near the end of their football careers learn how to own, operate, or build their own businesses.
The program, a first for pro football players, offered two three-day modules delivered a month apart. Taught by HBS faculty with expertise in small business and entrepreneurship, the first module in April focused on issues such as business structure, taxes, and spreadsheet analysis. For the second module in May, participants brought their own business or investment ideas for discussion.
The program is part of an ongoing initiative by the National Football League and the NFL Players Association to assist players in preparing for the transition to their post-football careers. (A similar program was also conducted in the spring at the Wharton School.) “The idea is to help veteran NFL players be as successful off the field as they were on the field,” explained HBS professor Carl Kester, senior associate dean and chair of the MBA Program.
Participants praised the program during an April 8 news conference held at the conclusion of the first module. “I’ve seen a lot of players who had trouble making the transition to life after their playing careers,” noted Ted Johnson, a linebacker with the New England Patriots. “This is a great setting for learning how to make a smooth transition.”
Players admitted to being pleasantly surprised by how hard they worked. “People have been up late talking about cases and crunching numbers,” said Todd Collins, a quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. As frequent targets of investment pitches, some of which turn out to be scams, several participants said they had already learned enough to be more astute in evaluating proposals that come their way. For their part, HBS professors were impressed with the quality of classroom discussion and case analysis.
Even before the program began, twenty players had signed up for the next year, said Mike Haynes, NFL vice president of player and employee development and a football Hall of Famer. “I know firsthand how challenging it is to begin a second career. We’re delighted that we are able to provide this assistance to players,” he said.
