Transition (From Sport) Experiences of Former National Football League Players: An NFL-LONG Study

Transition from professional football life has important implications for the health and well-being of former National Football League (NFL) players. The study purpose was to examine former NFL players' experiences of transitioning from sport including factors that helped and factors that made transition difficult. This study used a convenience sample of former NFL players drawn from a larger study of health and function. Participants included 1,784 former NFL players, mean age = 52.3 +/- 16.3 years, 59% White, and a discontinuation mean of 24.0 +/- 15.6 years after leaving the league. Participants responded to open-ended transi-tion questions via mail or electronic questionnaire with responses analyzed using conceptual content analysis. The most frequently reported factors that helped transition included career transition plan/options (48%) and social support (40%). Whereas, structure-(33%) and identity-related (23%) difficulties were reported as factors that made transition difficult. Findings identify areas for targeted interventions to enhance NFL player well-being during transition from sport.

Automated summary

Transitioning from professional football life has significant implications for the health and well-being of former NFL players. This study examined the experiences of former NFL players during this transition, identifying factors that facilitated the process and factors that made it difficult. The most commonly reported facilitators were having a career transition plan/options and social support, while difficulties related to structure and identity were identified as challenges. These findings highlight targeted intervention areas to enhance the well-being of NFL players during their transition from sport.