This Sunday is the biggest day for (American) football fans everywhere – it’s Super Bowl time. While the rest of the world may have no clue why we are so pumped, every American knows that thereis no other weekend filled with more adrenalin, junk food, good friends and hotly debated, outrageously priced commercials. Watching 22 guys turning on beast mode on the field and battling for the most coveted piece of jewelry is quite an awe-inspiring event. Being LinkedIn and all, we couldn’t resist seeing this sporting spectacle through, well, our career spectacles. We wondered, what happens when the stadium lights go out and athletes decide to hang up their cleats for retirement? Sources report that many struggle with life after football. But after digging around on LinkedIn, we were inspired to analyze how 2,000+ former players are repurposing their skills off the field into new career paths. It turns out that over 40% of former NFL players on LinkedIn take on some sort of entrepreneurial, sales or finance-related role. A further 18%continue their sports-focused journey as coaches or in related athletic professions.
