MORE THAN 140 PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES TO PARTICIPATE IN NFLPA’S THIRD ANNUAL #ATHLETEAND WORKSHOP

MORE THAN 140 PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES TO PARTICIPATE IN NFLPA’S THIRD ANNUAL #ATHLETEAND WORKSHOP

WASHINGTON, D.C. – On the heels of completing one of the most unique NFL seasons ever, 120 NFL players will begin focusing on their professional development off the field by taking part in the third annual NFLPA #AthleteAnd Workshop. The event, which is the only of its kind exclusively for professional athletes, takes place virtually on Tuesday, February 16.

Through various engaging sessions, participants – which also include more than 20 athletes from other professional sports unions and leagues -- will gain insight from industry leaders as well as active and former players on how to expand their network, develop their brand and leverage the opportunities provided by their careers.

“If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that athletes are more than the sport that they play,” said Dior Ginyard, director of the NFLPA’s Player Affairs department. “We’re excited to have tripled our number of participants from a year ago and do our part in shifting the narrative as athletes find their identities beyond just the playing field.”

The day-long workshop is uniquely formatted for professional athletes, allowing them to connect with potential mentors, business partners and investors while providing practical wisdom on how to succeed both now and in life after football. By using these tools and resources, player participants will better be able to write their own endings to the phrase “Athlete And ­____.”

Programming begins with a panel on how to balance one’s profession and passions, featuring Demario Davis (New Orleans Saints All-Pro linebacker), Nneka Ogwumike (WNBA All-Star and WNBPA President) and Spencer Paysinger (former NFL player and TV/film producer). This will be followed by “learning lab sprints,” -- 15-minute sessions led by industry experts on branding for athletes, how to network effectively and mastering the art of public speaking.

Closing out the event is a fireside chat with brothers Emmanuel Acho (former NFL player, FS1 analyst and New York Times best-selling author) and Sam Acho (NFL linebacker, author and speaker) on how athletes can best leverage their platform and power for good.

“My main hope in attending the #AthleteAnd workshop is to learn from other players and the NFLPA so we can collaborate as much as possible to make a positive difference,” Arizona Cardinals veteran linebacker Devon Kennard said. “There’s power in connecting with like-minded people, especially within the athlete community.”

Full list of NFLPA player member participants below:

For more information, visit nflpa.com/athleteand and follow the NFLPA on Twitter and Instagram.

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About the NFL Players Association:

The National Football League Players Association is the union for professional football players in the National Football League. Established in 1956, the NFLPA has a long history of assuring proper recognition and representation of players’ interests. The NFLPA has shown that it will do whatever is necessary to assure that the rights of players are protected—including ceasing to be a union, if necessary, as it did in 1989. In 1993, the NFLPA again was officially recognized as the union representing the players, and negotiated a landmark Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFL. The current CBA will govern the sport through the 2030 NFL season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.