Seventy NFL assistant coaches and front office executives will take part in the annual NFL Career Development Symposium May 30-June 1 at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, it was announced Tuesday.
The three-day program will engage aspiring head coach and general manager candidates through presentations, panel discussions, breakout sessions and networking opportunities with owners, club presidents, coaches, general managers and league executives.
Among the speakers and presenters are Browns owner Jimmy Haslam; Dolphins owner Stephen Ross; Falcons president Rich McKay; Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff; Broncos general manager John Elway; Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman; Chiefs head coach Andy Reid; Panthers head coach Ron Rivera; Vikings head coach Mike Zimmer; and former NFL general manager and current NFL Media analyst Charley Casserly.
Other guests in attendance include Steelers chairman Dan Rooney; Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn; Jets president Neil Glat and senior director of football administration Rod Graves; Vikings chief administrative officer Kevin Warren; Bills general manager Doug Whaley; former NFL head coach Dennis Green; former NFL general manager Ron Wolf; and three new senior advisors to the NFL -- former coach Jimmy Raye II, former general manager Mike Reinfeldt and Hall of Fame coach Mike Singletary.
Program sessions include: "Expectations of Ownership," "Building Relationships/Managing Expectations," "Respect at Work," "Managing Key Relationships," "Managing and Coaching Today's Players," "Brand Building/Media Training," and "Enhancing Your Leadership with Emotional Intelligence.'"
The program is directed by NFL Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer Robert Gulliver and NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations Troy Vincent.
"The Career Development Symposium is an important part of preparing the next generation of NFL head coaches and general managers and continues to build on the progress we have made over the past decade in developing talent," said Gulliver. "We have pulled together a select group that will benefit from the insights of owners, current and former head coaches and GMs, as well as from Wharton faculty that will help them take that next step in their careers."
"An uninterrupted and qualified pipeline of coaches and front office personnel is essential to the long-term sustainability of our game," said Vincent. "The development of this diverse pool of coaching and front office talent keeps the NFL strong now and into the future."
"We are excited to serve as the venue and to provide support for this important NFL symposium," said Kenneth Shropshire, Wharton Professor and Faculty Director at the Wharton Sports Business Initiative.
Career Development Symposium participants are selected by the NFL office after NFL clubs submit nominations from their staffs.
The Career Development Symposium previously ran from 1998-2008 and returned in 2013. Attendees of the 2013 Symposium included new head coaches Jay Gruden (Washington), Mike Pettine (Cleveland), Mike Zimmer (Minnesota) as well as new general managers Ray Farmer (Cleveland), Dennis Hickey (Miami), Jason Licht (Tampa Bay) and Doug Whaley (Buffalo).
The NFL Career Development Symposium supplements other initiatives that include:
- Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship (April-June 2014; July-August 2014), which provides opportunities at all 32 NFL clubs for minority coaches to observe, participate and gain coaching experience.
- NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy (February 2014), which offered 58 coaches/coaching prospects – including 28 current and former NFL players -- with tools and networking opportunities for potential careers as football coaches.
- NFL Video Interview Program (February 2014), for those who have been identified as potential head coaches or general managers. The program gives clubs the ability to view an informational interview conducted by an executive search firm.
- NFL-NCAA Future Football Coaches Academy (January 2014), for those who have recently completed their collegiate eligibility and are interested in becoming a college football coach.
- NFL-NCAA Champion Forum (June 2014) for those who have been identified as potential head coaches by college administrators, this program simulates the intercollegiate interview process from researching the position to their first staff meeting after becoming a head coach.
-- NFL Communications