NFL Players Enroll in Special Business Programs

Football doesn't last forever, and NFL players understand that. With players options limited for those who never finished school, the league has instituted a program to try to help them. To help them make better decision, during their playing days as well as after. Scout.com's Doug Farrar takes a look at the players and the program including three current New England Patriots.

NFL Players Enroll in Special Business Programs
By Doug Farrar

The National Football League and NFL Players Association worked with the business schools to create the curriculums. Cornerback Bobby Taylor will be the lone representative of the Seahawks. Taylor, a former Philadelphia Eagle, will participate in the University of Pennsylvania program

The programs that run from April 6-8 are part of an ongoing NFL- NFLPA initiative to assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers. Tuition will be covered by the NFL’s Tuition Reimbursement Program. Veteran players may be reimbursed up to $15,000 per league year for education expenses at an accredited institution of higher learning.

In addition to Brees, Green and Dawkins, all of whom will be participating in the workshop at the Wharton School, Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Dhani Jones, wide receiver Freddie Mitchell, and Kansas City Chiefs fullback Tony Richardson are among the players enrolled in the Harvard Business School workshop.

Three members of the Super Bowl champion New England Patriots will also take part. Defensive back Je'Rod Cherry and linebacker Ted Johnson will participate in the workshop at Harvard Business School. Tight end Christian Fauria is enrolled in the Wharton School program.

As part of its custom executive education activities, Harvard Business School has developed a customized workshop targeted to the needs of NFL players interested in owning, operating or building their own businesses. The Wharton Sports Business Initiative and Wharton Executive Education have collaborated to develop a combination classroom and field-based workshop. It focuses on personal investments as well as entrepreneurial opportunities for players transitioning from their football careers. Both three-day programs run from April 6-8. The Harvard program concludes with an additional three-day session in May. The Wharton program offers follow-up with a year-long support program.

"This is one of many important steps that the union is taking to assist NFL players in their lives off the playing field," said Buffalo Bills cornerback Troy Vincent, who is president of the NFL Players Association and will be participating in the program at the Wharton School.

"I know first hand how challenging it is to begin that second career. We are delighted that we are able to provide this additional assistance to players," added NFL Vice President of Player and Employee Development Mike Haynes, a Pro Football Hall of Famer who took executive education classes during his playing career.

Career development after football has become an increasing concern of the NFLPA in the last few years - gone are the days when players like Haynes had to further their educations on their own. In an AP story last year, Vincent pointed to the alarming number of ex-players who call the NFL offices on a regular basis looking for jobs, and there are far too many unfortunate stories of former stars who have fallen on hard times.

Following are the NFL players enrolled in the workshop at the Harvard Business School (most recent team listed in parenthesis if player is a free agent):

Player	Team		Player	Team
DB Jason Bell	Houston		LB Ted Johnson	New England
dB Jack Brewer	NY Giants		DE Lance Johnstone	Minnesota
T Ray Brown	Washington		LB Dhani Jones	Philadelphia
G Ruben Brown	Chicago		TE Dustin Lyman	Chicago
dB Je'Rod Cherry	(New England)		LB Mike Maslowski	Kansas City
QB Todd Collins	Kansas City		WR Freddie Mitchell	Philadelphia
RB Greg Comella	(Tampa Bay)		LB Ryan Nece	Tampa Bay
LB Sam Cowart	Minnesota		P Kyle Richardson	Cleveland
DE Jerry DeLoach	Houston		RB Tony Richardson	Kansas City
WR Damon Dunn	Retired (Jax, Cle, Dal, NYJ)		DB Dainon Sidney	Detroit
DE Demetric Evans	Washington		DB Jason Simmons	Houston
TE Kendall Gammon	Kansas City		DB Pat Terrell	Retired (Car., GB, NYJ, Rams)
DE Kabeer Gbaja-Biamila	Green Bay		LB Kailee Wong	Houston
LB Barrett Green	NY Giants		DE Renaldo Wynn	Washington
C Justin Hartwig	Tennessee
C Kevin Houser	New Orleans

Following are the NFL players enrolled in the workshop at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (most recent team listed in parenthesis if player is a free agent):

Player	Team		Player	Team
T Willie Anderson	Cincinnati		DE N.D. Kalu	Philadelphia
LB Micheal Barrow	Washington		QB Danny Kanell	Denver
QB Drew Brees	San Diego		LB Jason Kyle	Carolina
K Doug Brien	NY Jets		DT Steve Martin	Minnesota
TE Mark Bruener	Houston		DT Alvin McKinley	Cleveland
T Javiar Collins	Cleveland		G Brandon Moore	New York Jets
RB Casey Cramer	Carolina		LB Jim Nelson	(Indianapolis)
DB Brian Dawkins	Philadelphia		LB Hardy Nickerson	Retired (Pit., TB, Jax., GB)
TE Darnell Dinkins	Baltimore		DB Brian Russell	(Minnesota)
TE Christian Fauria	New England		RB Rod Smart	Carolina
DE Akbar Gbaja-Biamila	Oakland		LB Takeo Spikes	Buffalo
RB Ahman Green	Green Bay		TE Brad St. Louis	Cincinnati
DB Robert Griffith	Arizona		DB Bobby Taylor	Seattle
DB William Hampton	Carolina		LB David Thornton	(Indianapolis)
TE Ben Hartsock	Indianapolis		DB Troy Vincent	Buffalo
DB Terrence Holt	Detroit		DB Dewayne Washington	(Jacksonville)
RB Terry Jackson	San Francisco		TE Roland Williams	St. Louis
T Matt Joyce	Detroit		DB Jimmy Wyrick	(Miami)

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