NFLPA Launches Seventh Year of Externship With #AthleteAnd Workshop

NFLPA LAUNCHES SEVENTH YEAR OF EXTERNSHIP WITH #ATHLETEAND WORKSHOP

WASHINGTON, D.C. – As part of its ongoing efforts to provide career service opportunities for its player members, the NFL Players Association is rolling out the seventh year of its Externship program in conjunction with the #AthleteAnd Workshop.

The exclusive event allows athletes to hear from industry leaders, gain insight into how they can grow professionally and learn how to leverage the opportunities provided by their playing careers. The day-long workshop will take place Feb. 11 and feature more than 40 active and former NFL players as well as sports union officials from the MLBPA, MLSPA, NBPA and NHLPA engaging with professionals from various industries and NFLPA Executive Director DeMaurice Smith through roundtable discussions, interactive learning labs and more.

“One of the messages we impress upon our player members is that they are more than just athletes and they have the power to shift the narrative by telling their story,” NFLPA Senior Player Manager Dior Ginyard said. “The #AthleteAnd Workshop is another way for them to gain confidence to define their identities beyond sports so that they can write their own endings to the phrase ‘Athlete And ___.’”

In its seventh year as the cornerstone of the players union’s career development resources, the NFLPA Externship boasts its most diverse offering of opportunities yet. A record 70 NFL players will start positions at 33 distinguished host organizations this month.

The experience is unlike any other offered to professional athletes, serving as the premier opportunity for NFL players to gain valuable, hands-on training with top organizations across the country. This year’s externs will work with businesses ranging from start-ups to established industry leaders while learning about technology, the legislative process, multimedia, engineering, athletic administration and more.

“I’ve been in the sports world most of my life, so the externship is a unique way for me to get introduced and network within this industry so that I can better determine what I’d like to pursue after football,” said Buffalo Bills fullback Patrick DiMarco, who will work with the Georgia Tech athletic department. “I’m grateful to the NFLPA and Georgia Tech for being a part of this program that allows current and former players to take advantage of these great opportunities.”

The NFLPA fielded 130 applications this winter from interested players, marking the third straight year that it has received more than 100 applicants. After applying for their top three experiences, each member of the 2020 NFLPA Externship class was interviewed and selected by organizations committed to providing insight into their line of work, engaging in impactful projects, offering feedback and developing networking opportunities.

“It’s exciting to see the externship continue to grow in a way that allows more and more of our player members to get the experience necessary to position themselves for long-term success in their post-football careers,” NFLPA Player Manager Connor Ford said.

Among the 13 new organizations featured in the 2020 program are Adfero, ByteCubed Labs, Georgia Tech Athletic Department, Madrona Venture Group, Highspot, Rover, MGM Resorts International, NASA Johnson & Kennedy Space Flight Centers, Nifty Games, University of Texas Athletic Administration, University of Virginia Athletic Department and Zebra Technologies.

The NFLPA is proud to welcome back the following organizations: ACE Media, Offices on Capitol Hill, Events DC, Everfi, Fanatics, Financial Finesse, Forbes Tate Partners, Fox Sports, Gatorade Sports Science Institute, International Justice Mission, Licensing International, Brandgenuity, NFL Players Inc., StubHub, The Players’ Tribune, United Way Worldwide, University of Georgia Athletic Association, U.S. Chamber of Commerce and WHOOP.

Players from 25 different NFL teams are represented in the 2020 NFLPA Externship, which runs through April 3, with the Indianapolis Colts boasting the most participants at six.

The Externship, run by the NFLPA’s Player Affairs department, is designed to assist players in realizing their potential and value beyond football through gainful, real-world experience. The program serves as one of several post-career opportunities offered by the NFLPA, all of which are built on the theme of helping players -- both active and transitioning -- find their niche and discover more of their gifts.

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

Full list of 2020 NFLPA Externs and Host Organizations:

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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 2020 NFL season. Learn more at www.nflpa.com.