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NFL Players Retirement

From The NFL To The Booth

Retirement. Many of us look forward to it, but do not plan for it accordingly. The NFLPA is constantly trying to do something to promote its members’ awareness that a football player’s life in the NFL only lasts so long and aims to prepare each person for life after football. Their latest effort: Broadcast Boot Camp.

This is something that Emmitt Smith would have benefited from (sorry, Emmitt. You rocked as a Gator and Cowboy, but you suck in the booth). Here is the description of the rough and tough boot camp:

The Broadcast Boot Camp provides professional development training for NFL players in the field of broadcast journalism and can be the first step in the transition from a playing career to a broadcasting career. This hands-on program offers the opportunity to explore multiple on-air job functions in the television/media business. Additionally, the boot camp will help you determine which area of the media is most interesting to you, and provide practical tips for how to succeed in your first media position. Workshops include: field reporting, voice overs, game studio analysis, and research.

Broadcast journalism is definitely one profession that retired NFL players have a chance at success in. The event does not take place until June 2008, but if you are an agent/player and think that you have some interest in the boot camp, do not delay. Call up the NFLPA for more information.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.

2 replies on “From The NFL To The Booth”

I was reading about this last night…very interesting idea on the NFL’s part. And you hit it right on the head…someone needs to contact Emmitt Smith’s agent immediately. They also need boot camp in other sports as well (Magic Johnson, anyone?)

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