May201330

NFL Retired Player News – June 2013

The NFL stays in regular contact with its former players, passing along vital information via email each month about benefits and services available to them and their families as well as other notes of interest.

The June 2013 edition of NFL Retired Player News included list of 20 player alumni who have gone on to successful careers on and off the field, with positions ranging from police officer to real estate broker to high school/college coach.

To read the full text of the NFL’s recent letter to former players, please click here.

ALUMNI BUSY AND SUCCESSFUL IN POST-PLAYING CAREERS

PLAYER	CURRENT CAREER POSITION (LOCATION)
WR Taz Anderson	Chairman, Taz Anderson Realty Company (GA)
T Tom Andrews	Senior Director of Development, Papa John’s (KY)
G Edwin Bailey	Operations Director, AMIkids (GA)
TE Marv Cook	Head Coach, Regina High School (IA)
QB Vince Ferragamo	Owner/Broker, Touchdown Real Estate (CA)
S David Fulcher	Head Coach, Cincinnati Christian School (OH)
WR Ernest Givins	Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator, Gibbs High School (FL)
C Aaron Graham	Owner/Broker, Land Pros Realty (NE)
DE Jim Jeffcoat	Assistant Coach, University Of Colorado
S Todd Johnson	Head Coach, Riverview High School (FL)
TE Brent Jones	Managing Director, Northgate (CA)
LB Robert Jones	President, Get It Clean, Inc. (TX)
WR Justin McCareins	Police Officer, Coral Springs Police Department (FL)
C Andy McCollum	Financial Advisor, Resource One Advisors (MO)
DE Pellom McDaniels	African American Collections Curator, Emory U. Archives (GA)
S Mike Minter	Head Football Coach, Campbell University (NC)
P Chris Mohr	VP of Sales & Product Development, Nviroclean (NC)
TE Emery Moorehead	Director of North Shore Barrington Board of Realtors (IL)
RB Timmy Newsome	Founder, Newtec Business Solutions (TX)
LB Stan White	Head Coach, Gilman School (MD)

Jim Jeffcoat, who played defensive end for the Cowboys and Bills during his 15-year NFL career, now serves as defensive line coach for the University of Colorado. He won two Super Bowl rings with Dallas (XXVII, XXVIII).

May201330

Heads Up Football Advisory Committee Unites Football, Parenting and Medical Experts for Youth Player SafetyHeads Up Football Advisory Committee Unites Football, Parenting and Medical Experts for Youth Player Safety

Brett Favre, Whoopi Goldberg and Christine Golic to help guide USA Football program

The Heads Up Football Advisory Committee will gather with representatives from USA Football and the NFL for the first time May 30 at the NFL office in New York. The committee – which currently includes 22 men and women representing youth football experts, retired NFL players, educators and medical professionals – will advance Heads Up Football’s mission to promote player safety for the children in all 50 states who love to play the sport and gain from its rewards.

With a diverse range of backgrounds and expertise, committee members will help guide the further development of USA Football’s Heads Up Football^SM program.

Heads Up Football is a new, comprehensive youth football membership program developed by USA Football and supported by the NFL to further strengthen youth player safety. More than 1,900 youth football leagues across the United States representing more than 375,000 players and 54,000 coaches have committed to the health and safety of their young players by adopting Heads Up Football in 2013.

May201329

Heads Up Football Advisory Committee Meets for First Time on Thursday, May 30, at NFL Headquarters in New York City

WHAT:      Heads Up Football Advisory Committee meeting

WHO:        ROGER GOODELL, NFL Commissioner

                   SCOTT HALLENBECK, USA Football Executive Director

Members of the Advisory Committee representing youth football, retired NFL players, educators and medical professionals:

• LAVAR ARRINGTON, Former NFL player
• BILL COWHER, Former NFL player and head coach, CBS Sports football analyst
• CHRISTINE GOLIC, Mother of two football players, wife of former NFL player
• CATHERINE GRAVES, Team Mom, Severna Park (Maryland) Green Hornets Football
• MERRIL HOGE, Former NFL player; former youth coach; ESPN football analyst
• LEROY HOLLINS, Youth football commissioner, Louisiana Youth Football League
• CHUCK KYLE, Head football coach, Cleveland St. Ignatius High School
• Dr. ELIZABETH  PIEROTH, Neuropsychologist, NorthShore University HealthSystem, Chicago
• LIZ RAEBURN, Teacher and wife of college football head coach
• AMANDA RODRIGUEZ, Blogger
• BARRY SANDERS, Pro Football Hall of Famer, Detroit Lions
• DEION SANDERS, Pro Football Hall of Famer; NFL Network analyst
• MICHAEL STRAHAN, Former NFL player; co-host “Live with Kelly and Michael”
• OTHA THORNTON, President-elect, National Parent Teacher Association
• ERIN ZAMMETT RUDDY, Magazine writer and blogger

Full list of Heads Up Football Advisory Committee members below.

WHERE:           NFL Office, 345 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10154

WHEN:             Media availability from 2:30 to 3 p.m. ET, Thursday, May 30

May201329

NFL Health and Safety Update – May 29, 2013

HEADS UP FOOTBALL ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBER CHRISTINE GOLIC ADDRESSES PARTCIPATION IN INITIATIVE

The USA Football Heads Up Football Advisory Committee will meet at NFL headquarters in New York for the first time this week. The full advisory committee will be announced Thursday during the meeting. CHRISTINE GOLIC, a member of the committee, recently addressed her decision to become involved in Heads Up Football. 

Why did you decide to become involved in Heads Up Football? Why is the program important to you?

This is definitely something special to me because of our family’s involvement in football: my husband Mike played, our two sons play, and Mike’s father and two brothers played, too. Needless to say, I want to see the game made as safe as possible on every level for my kids and their kids. This opportunity came about at a perfect time – our last child, Sydney, just finished her freshmen year at Notre Dame (on the swim team), so as empty nesters we now have more time to be involved with causes that are meaningful to us. 

Ed Note: Mike Golic played at Notre Dame and eight years in the NFL with the Oilers, Eagles and Dolphins; Mike and Chris’s sons Mike, Jr. (signed with the Steelers) and Jake (taking a fifth year and playing at the University of Cincinnati this fall) each played at Notre Dame; Mike’s brothers Bob and Greg each played at Notre Dame with Bob playing 14 years in the NFL with the Patriots, Browns and Raiders; Mike’s father Lou played at Indiana and in the Canadian Football League. 

May201328

2014 NFL Draft to be Held May 8-10 at Radio City Music Hall in New York

NFL teams were notified today that, due to a scheduling conflict at Radio City Music Hall, the 2014 NFL Draft will be held on May 8-10 in New York at Radio City. 

The decision was made after discussions with club personnel and key NFL business partners.  No decision has been made regarding the dates of the NFL Draft in 2015 and beyond. A variety of alternatives are being explored, teams were told, including holding the draft at Radio City or at other locations, either in the New York area or in other cities. 

The NFL clubs also were informed that there would be no significant changes in the dates of other off-season events next year:

• Several Regional Combines will be held on various dates from January 24 through February 16, 2014. Some Regional Combines may be held after the National Combine in Indianapolis.
•  The National Combine in Indianapolis will be held from February 18-25, 2014.
•  The new League Year, and the Free Agency period, will begin on March 11, 2014.
•  The Annual Meeting will be held in Orlando, Florida, on March 23-26, 2014. 

The change in the date of the 2014 Draft will have no effect on when rookies may begin to report to their clubs, the dates of off-season programs, or the length of off-season programs.  Clubs will have available to them the same number of practice days that they currently have and no changes in the off-season calendar are being considered that would reduce the number of practice days or the overall length of the off-season program.  At this time, changes are not anticipated in the off-season calendar for 2015 and beyond that would reduce the number of practice days or otherwise limit the off-season program. 

# # #

May201322

NFL Response to AP Column

Dear Jim: I am compelled to respond to your column today because it is not only unfair but also inaccurate and misleading in many respects.

Steve Ross’s stadium renovation proposal called for Mr. Ross to pay for 70 percent of the costs, as well as to bring Super Bowls and other marquee events to South Florida or pay a substantial financial penalty (in excess of $100 million) if he failed to do so. Your column neglected to mention those facts and inaccurately said that he wants “taxpayers to foot the bill,” implying the entire bill.

Mr. Ross’s proposed investment is consistent with stadium development throughout our league. There are 13 stadium projects in the pipeline now with 74 percent ($3.2 billion) of the costs being privately financed by NFL owners. Your column says that new NFL stadiums are “largely publicly-financed stadiums.” That is not true. You completely overlooked the extraordinary amount of private money that is going into NFL stadium projects. Specifically, private investment accounts for 100 percent of the cost of the Jets/Giants’ MetLife Stadium, more than 60 percent in Dallas, more than 90 percent in San Francisco, more than 70 percent in Atlanta, and more than  50 percent in Minneapolis.

NFL owners have awarded Super Bowls in part to recognize and thank communities and taxpayers for their investments (both financial and emotional) in our clubs and their stadiums. How is it arrogant to take the nation’s top sports event, which indisputably brings with it significant economic benefits, and hold it in communities all over the country?

On the league calendar issues, let’s start with the NFL Draft. It has to be moved next year because of the spring Easter show that Radio City is going to run in late April. You stated that “it’s likely to stay there in following years, too.” Contrary to being “likely,” Commissioner Goodell said this in his press conference yesterday: “Beyond (2014), if we want to move the draft back into the April period, we are going to have to look at other alternatives, which means other cities or other venues. We will begin that process.”

You stated that if the NFL Draft is held in May, it will conflict with Mother’s Day and the NBA and NHL playoffs. Mother’s Day is on a Sunday (the NFL Draft is Thursday-Saturday). Other sports play games on Mother’s Day. The final day of the U.S. Open golf is played on Father’s Day. Is the PGA, MLB, NBA and NHL “conflicting” with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day? Plus, our draft in April already runs opposite the NBA and NHL playoffs. Your statement is unfair and misleading. It also ignores the very substantial – and growing – fan interest in the draft.

How would delaying the Combine create “more hype”? It would simply shift the timing of coverage of the Combine, which runs over several afternoons on NFL Network and would not conflict with any evening sports programming.

Have you protested so vehemently when other sports have expanded their calendars?  Every other league runs longer than it did 10 years ago. The NFL has always had the shortest playing season calendar among the major professional sports leagues.

Why do you object to the possibility of having more meaningful games and fewer preseason games?  Don’t fans and the media prefer games that mean something?

If the demand from fans was not there, we would not be considering these changes.

Our approach is to listen carefully to fans, players, teams, and others and look for ways to intelligently improve the game and the league. We have, in fact, been somewhat conservative, and definitely thoughtful, in all aspects of our business, including making changes to our calendar.

Thanks for listening.

Greg Aiello

May201322

NFL Health and Safety Update—May 22, 2013

For the complete release, click here

May201321

Transcript: Commissioner Goodell 2013 Spring League Meeting

NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL
2013 SPRING LEAGUE MEETING
BOSTON, MASS. 

Tuesday, May 21, 2013 

Opening statement: 

When you think about what is going on in Oklahoma and what we are doing here, it is hard to think about the tragic events. Certainly, our prayers and all of us are thinking about the people of Oklahoma. 

We discussed a number of stadium matters.  We approved a new stadium in Atlanta and our funding for that and renovations in Carolina and Philadelphia.  We had a productive day on that front and spent a great deal of time talking about the stadium experience, which we have been very upfront that we want to improve that experience, make it better for our fans.  That starts with an investment and making sure we have great stadiums, but it is also about making sure our fans are safe when they come into our stadiums.  It also goes to the point of trying to provide technology in the stadiums and making sure we are doing everything to make it a terrific experience for our fans. 

On selecting San Francisco to host Super Bowl L: 

It’s a great city.  They have a terrific stadium.  They have obviously put together a proposal that got a great deal of support from our membership.  They deserve the Super Bowl.  We’re thrilled to be a part of that, and I think it’s going to be great for the game. 

On the ‘international flavor’ of Houston’s Super Bowl bid: 

It was a very innovative approach. I think it’s reflective of the people of Houston, how they feel about their community, and what they want to celebrate.  We always say the Super Bowl is a great event, but doing it with great cities and doing it with great stadiums really has an opportunity to be great for the community and the NFL for the long term.  That’s what we’re looking to when we look at Super Bowl [bids]. This is an opportunity to take the NFL to another level and the great communities we are playing in.

May201321

Microsoft and NFL Announce Multiyear Landmark Partnership to Enhance the Game for Fans, Players and Coaches

Introduction of Interactive NFL Experience on Xbox and Surface technology on NFL sidelines to shape the future of football — in the living room and on the field. 

REDMOND, Wash. — Microsoft Corp. and the National Football League (NFL) today announced a multiyear, landmark partnership that will deliver truly unique interactive NFL television experiences for the next-generation Xbox One and leverage Microsoft devices and services to evolve the in-game, sideline experience for coaches, players and other personnel.

“We love the passion that players, coaches and fans bring to the NFL game; it’s what makes the NFL game-day experience so unique,” said Steve Ballmer, Microsoft CEO. “We’re excited to apply our passion for technology to the NFL experience, both on the sidelines through the innovative use of Microsoft Surface devices, and for fans through an enhanced NFL viewing experience on Xbox One.”

The agreement provides Microsoft with the rights to create exclusive interactive experiences through products such as Xbox One and Surface, transforming the way fans will experience the NFL in the years to come. The NFL on Xbox will provide fans with an all-new viewing experience through innovations around Skype and Xbox SmartGlass; an all-new, innovative fantasy football solution allowing fans to view players and live competition side by side on a single TV screen; and a personalized NFL destination featuring information about the players, teams and games fans care about most. Xbox also retains the exclusive rights to extend these interactive experiences to tablets, enabling fans to use Xbox SmartGlass technology to enhance game day.

May201316

National Football League Foundation Names Jason Taylor to Board of Directors

Taylor Selected to Serve for Two Years

The National Football League Foundation announced today that former NFL Man of the Year JASON TAYLOR has been chosen to serve on the organization’s board of directors. Taylor enjoyed a 15-year NFL playing career with the Dolphins, Redskins and Jets, including being selected to six Pro Bowls, and retired in 2011.

Taylor joins the NFL Foundation board in a newly formed post for retired Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year winners who will serve two-year terms. The Walter Payton NFL Man of the Year award has been presented annually since 1970 to an outstanding player who also makes significant contributions to society. Taylor received the prestigious award in 2007.

“I am honored to join the NFL Foundation,” said TAYLOR. “I look forward to working with my fellow board members and the 32 NFL teams to advance the Foundation’s mission.”

“We appreciate Jason’s commitment to the NFL Foundation,” said NFL COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL. “As a former NFL player and a dedicated philanthropist, Jason brings a unique and valuable perspective to the organization.”

Taylor currently serves as an NFL analyst for ESPN. He devotes much of his time to leading the Jason Taylor Foundation, which he founded in 2004 along with his wife, Katina. The organization supports and creates programs that facilitate the growth and empowerment of South Florida children in need by focusing on improved health care, education and quality of life.

“During his NFL career Jason was a leader on the field and in his community,” said CHARLOTTE JONES ANDERSON, chairman of the NFL Foundation and executive vice president of the Dallas Cowboys. “We are excited to have Jason join the board and assist in guiding the foundation’s efforts to support our communities.”

Taylor joins fellow board members: MICHAEL BIDWILL, President, Arizona Cardinals; SHAHID KHAN, Owner, Jacksonville Jaguars; MARY OWEN, Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning, Buffalo Bills; ARTHUR J. ROONEY II, President, Pittsburgh Steelers; and LEONARD WILF, Owner/Vice Chairman, Minnesota Vikings.

About the NFL Foundation:

The National Football League Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of those touched by the game of football – from players at all levels to communities across the country. The NFL Foundation represents the 32 NFL clubs and supports the health and safety of athletes, youth football, and the communities which support our game. For more information on The NFL Foundation, visit: www.NFLFoundation.org.