At a Glance
- The NFL Player Care Foundation helps former players transition to new careers.
- Eric Lee, Johnson Bademosi, and Brandin Dandridge found roles in nonprofit, asset management, and tech sales.
- The program has assisted 2,741 players and contributed $21.7M since 2007.
- Why it matters: It shows how the NFL supports athletes beyond football.
The NFL Player Care Foundation, launched in 2018, offers former players a range of career resources. It connects athletes with resume reviews, coaching, predictive index testing, job matching, interview coaching, certification programs, mock interviews, and an annual Super Bowl career fair. Players can also access financial education and one-on-one support.
- Resume reviews
- Career coaching
- Predictive index testing
- Job matching
- Interview coaching
- Certification programs
- Mock interviews
- Career fair
Three former NFL athletes illustrate how the foundation’s tools can translate on-field skills into off-field success. Eric Lee, Johnson Bademosi, and Brandin Dandridge each leveraged the program to launch new careers in nonprofit leadership, asset management, and technology sales.
Eric Lee
Eric Lee joined a virtual American Heart Association session in November 2023 and accepted a development director role at a major nonprofit three months later. He credits the Foundation’s resources for refining his resume and providing professional guidance. Lee says the transition feels as fulfilling as the game, but in a different way.
Eric Lee stated:
> “I’m in the midst of something way bigger than myself,” Lee said. “I work for this huge nonprofit organization. I meet with volunteers and I feel very fulfilled, and I didn’t think that I would feel that same fulfillment outside of football. There’s something about those butterflies before the game, there’s something about going out there and getting that sack and the guys coming around you and celebrating. I don’t get those moments anymore. I get to hang around my college teammates here and there, but this is a new chapter and it’s just as fulfilling, just very different in experience.”
Johnson Bademosi
Johnson Bademosi started a fellowship in NFL football operations in 2023 and later became an analyst at Blue Owl Capital. He says the experience bridged his on-field knowledge with the business side of the league. Bademosi credits the Foundation’s financial education program for guiding his career transition.
Johnson Bademosi said:
> “I was really grateful to get that experience… It was an opportunity to bridge my experience playing in the NFL with actually working in the headquarters and seeing, in a sense, how the sausage is made, how the business operates, how they’re funded, and how they support players in a variety of ways.”
Johnson Bademosi added:
> “It’s really developed into bringing guys together to talk about their interests and passions and helping folks develop the skills necessary to network and explore what their next career after football will look like.”
Brandin Dandridge
Brandin Dandridge discovered the NFL’s career portal through a teammate after spending a few months with the Chiefs in 2022 and later playing in the CFL. He completed the Microsoft Leap program, an eight-week training that equipped over 20 former players with technical skills. Dandridge says he approached the course with a serious mindset and fell in love with tech from Day 1.
Brandin Dandridge stated:
> “I knew this was something that was important… This is my career after football. I need to prioritize this. I need to take it serious. So that’s kind of the mentality I had going into the course. And ever since Day 1, I fell in love with everything.”
Impact Numbers
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Players Assisted | 2,741 |
| Money Contributed | $21.7M |
| Program Start Year | 2007 |
Since its inception in 2007, the foundation has helped thousands of former players and invested millions to support their post-football futures.
A.J. Forbes emphasized the personalized nature of the program:
> “Even though it’s this broader career program, we don’t forget about the player,” Forbes said. “No matter that scale, we still have that one-on-one resource with each player, which I think is what makes us unique and powerful and what kind of delivers these kinds of results. We believe in the transferable skills from football. We believe that the skills that players learn while they’re preparing to get to the NFL, while they are in the NFL and then post-NFL, those translate to corporate.”
Key Takeaways
- The NFL Player Care Foundation offers a comprehensive suite of career resources.
- Former players like Eric Lee, Johnson Bademosi, and Brandin Dandridge have successfully transitioned into new industries.
- Since 2007, the program has assisted 2,741 players and contributed $21.7M to support their futures.
The foundation’s work demonstrates how structured support can help athletes thrive after their playing days are over.
