LinkedIn has become an unexpected resource for some professional athletes, including current players in the National Football League. These athletes list their current and former employers—for example, quarterback Matt Hasselbeck listed the Indianapolis Colts, Seattle Seahawks, Tennessee Titans, and Green Bay Packers. New York Giants safety Cooper Taylor included his prior non-football related positions on his profile. Josh Brown, kicker for the New York Giants, also noted his off-season internship at Jones Lang LaSalle Inc. and uses his LinkedIn account to connect with real-estate clients.
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It may appear strange for professional athletes to be using LinkedIn while playing professionally in a league as valuable as the NFL, but it is incredibly wise for players to make strides towards their future endeavors prior to the conclusion of their careers. LinkedIn’s capabilities could be incredibly useful for athletes looking to transition to a new field after their athletic career. Not only does it allow those players to network with companies while their names are so recognizable and they have the stature of being an NFL player, but it allows athletes to see exactly what skills and qualities they need to possess in order to secure and succeed in jobs with the companies they connect with.
In a 2011 study, the NFL found that the average career was only 6.86 years. Even though the study has been criticized as a misrepresentation of the average length of an NFL career, it nevertheless underscores an important issue: it is often forgotten just how short an NFL career can be. Players can get injured or cut from a team unexpectedly, abruptly ending their careers. Already during this off-season, the Houston Texans released one of the best players in Texans franchise history, Arian Foster, exemplifying just how unpredictable an NFL career can be.
All too frequently, the most considerable issue for athletes is actually managing their salaries. Regrettably, many end up struggling financially after their professional career ends. Athletes often receive massive contracts directly out of college (or earlier in some cases). Unfortunately, most of those athletes do not have any financial or business expertise. Athletes are not thrust into an extravagant lifestyle by any means, but some do feel the pressure of living up to the expectations that come along with their position. Others simply do not understand how irresponsible their spending can actually be because they are not prepared to receive such a substantial salary directly out of college.
Despite the high salaries many professional athletes enjoy, a player’s actual take-home pay is much less due to the complex financial regulations that are imposed upon their earnings. Former NHL player Sean Avery explained how his salary became so fragmented between taxes, management fees, and league escrow fees. This leaves some players in a position where they are spending in a way anticipated by their overall salary, but not their take-home.
Unfortunately, too many players struggle in transitioning from professional sports to the real world, since athletics is the only career they have experienced. Too often athletes are not as equipped as they could be for the business world, nor are they prepared to downgrade from the life they experienced while working as a professional athlete. But it is much easier to transition from one position to another—even when the original position is a professional athlete—than restarting a career after retiring from professional sports. Former athletes often battle depression after retiring from professional sports since every aspect of an athlete’s life is radically changed after retiring, from the rigorous schedule and routine to phasing out of the spotlight.
Some professional leagues have programs to assist in the transition period, but the onus is truly on the players to prepare themselves for the real world. So while using LinkedIn may be routine in the real world, it is so significant to see professional athletes using it because it demonstrates their awareness of the reality of their circumstances and a willingness to get a head-start on their transition period.