Twenty-three NFL players -- 13 active players and 10 former players -- including 15-year veteran quarterback Charlie Batch (free agent) and two-time Pro Bowler Adalius Thomas (retired) will take part in the new NFL Business Management & Entrepreneurial "Investment for Impact" program April 18-21 at the University of Notre Dame.
Free agent quarterback Brady Quinn and 10-year NFL center Jeff Faine -- both Notre Dame graduates -- developed the program with NFL Player Engagement. Both will speak at the program along with former NFL players with social entrepreneurship backgrounds including Warrick Dunn, Rick Mirer, Jeremy Bloom and Deke Cooper.
The program includes keynote speakers and panel discussions featuring academic experts and corporate executives, as well as a business planning workshop, a session matching players with faculty mentors, a "venture fair," and a trip to the Annual Notre Dame Blue-Gold Football Scrimmage.
"The opportunity to play in the NFL has provided a platform to have an impact on our communities," said Quinn, a six-year veteran. "It is my hope that through the Notre Dame Entrepreneurial program, attendees may learn how to invest with an impact for the greater good."
"I'm proud to have had a hand in bringing Investment for Impact to my alma mater, and assisting in forming a partnership between University of Notre Dame and the NFL for the continuing education of professional athletes," added Faine, who played for four clubs in 10 NFL seasons. "It has been a longstanding goal to give back in a meaningful way to the game that has provided so much opportunity for me. This course will provide a template on how to bridge traditional business models with a focus on the greater good of humanity. I believe social entrepreneurship is the wave of the future."
Player enrollment criteria include a demonstrated interest in business, essays, and NFL playing experience.
With the longer offseason, NFL Player Engagement offers current and former players 10 training programs for post-NFL careers.
