In
January 2014, President Barack Obama made headlines when he confided to New Yorker reporter Davis Remnick that,
if he had a son, he would discourage him from playing in the NFL. "I would not
let my son play pro football," he told the writer. Obama's words came on the
heels of a year of heightened awareness of the life-long consequences of a
professional football career. In August 2013, the NFL agreed to a $765 million settlement
with over 4,500 retired players seeking damages for head injuries sustained
during play. Thousands of others are seeking disability benefits in the State of
California for on-field injuries. But the possibility of lifelong disability is
not the only problem facing professional football players after their playing careers--often
brief to begin with--come to an end. Many players, having spent years focusing
on football, find themselves at sea when they either leave or are forced out of
the NFL, without any alternate life plans or even the resources to make them.
Is
There Life After Football? draws upon the experiences of hundreds of former
players as they describe their lives after their football days are over. It also incorporates stories about their
playing careers, even before entering the NFL, to provide context for
understanding their current situations.The authors begin with an analysis of the "bubble"-like conditions of
privilege that NFL players experience while playing, conditions that often
leave players unprepared for the real world once they retire and must manage
their own lives. The book also examines the key issues affecting former NFL
players in retirement: social isolation,
financial concerns, inadequate career planning, psychological challenges, and
physical injuries. From players who make reckless and unsustainable financial
investments during their very few high-earning years, to players who struggle
to form personal and professional relationships outside of football, the
stories in the book put a very human face on the realities of the world of
professional football. George Koonce Jr., a former NFL player himself, weaves
in his own story throughout, explaining the challenges and setbacks he
encountered and decisions that helped him succeed as an NFL Director of Player
Development, PhD student, and university administrator after leaving the sport.
Ultimately, Is There Life After Football? concludes that, despite the
challenges players face, it is possible for players to find success after
leaving the NFL if they have the right support, education, and awareness of
what might await them. But players themselves must also resist being totally
engulfed by the NFL culture in which they live. A fascinating study with
unprecedented insider access, this book is essential reading for anyone
interested in the world of professional football.
Instructor's Guide
Copyright:
1999
Book Details
Book Quality:
Publisher Quality
ISBN-13:
9781479843008
Related ISBNs:
9781479868308
Publisher:
NYU Press
Date of Addition:
09/16/15
Copyrighted By:
Jr. George E. Koonce, James A. Holstein, Richard S. Jones
