A group of 28 NFL players have been in New York City since Tuesday for the second year of Bizweek, a program designed by retired Giants OL Justin Pugh and his business partners to help players improve their chances for post-career success. In coordination with the NFL and Syracuse, Bizweek brings the players to Nike’s NYC office, the New York Stock Exchange, the NFL office, real estate developer RXR and more.
The goal, Pugh said, is to teach players how to position themselves for success after their playing careers. “As I was figuring it out for myself, we wanted to know how we can send the elevator back down to send the next guy up?” said Pugh, who started a consultancy, Athletes & Us, with his business coach, Alex Yungvirt, to help retired athletes find “purpose and cash flow.”
Speakers include Michael Strahan, former Turner President and Horizon Sports & Experiences CEO David Levy and serial entrepreneur John Torrens. Organizers say the idea is to put more players in the right frame of mind, Pugh said. As Malcolm Jenkins told the group Wednesday: “Thinking about the transition begins the day you put the pads on, not the day you take them off.”
That means players should be considering about what’s next, even when they seem to have a long career left. That means knowing how to find the right people to help build a business career and make the most of your status as an active NFL player.
Some of the sessions help players understand how to evaluate investment opportunities, know when they need legal or other advice, and how to build networks. “Start reaching out to people now, when you don’t need a thing,” Pugh said. “Leverage your time playing football to bring them to a game, sign a jersey for their kids, do a Q&A for their nonprofit … some of those things go a long way.”