At a Glance
- Former NFL players Eric Lee, Johnson Bademosi, and Brandin Dandridge are leveraging the Player Care Foundation to launch new careers.
- The foundation, launched in 2018, connects ex-players to jobs, coaching, and resources.
- Since 2007, it has helped 2,741 players and contributed $21.7 million.
After a brief NFL career and a Super Bowl appearance, former linebacker Eric Lee has found a new calling in nonprofit development. Alongside former teammates Johnson Bademosi and Brandin Dandridge, he is using the NFL Player Care Foundation’s career-transition programs to move into corporate and tech roles. Their stories illustrate how the foundation’s resources help players translate on-field skills into off-field success.
From the Gridiron to the Boardroom
Eric Lee, who played for the Texans, Bills, Patriots and Lions between 2016-20, joined a virtual American Heart Association session organized by the foundation in November 2023. He accepted a development director role at a nonprofit three months later.
Eric Lee said:
> “I’m in the midst of something way bigger than myself,” Lee said. “I work for this huge nonprofit organization. I meet with volunteers and I feel very fulfilled, and I didn’t think that I would feel that same fulfillment outside of football. There’s something about those butterflies before the game, there’s something about going out there and getting that sack and the guys coming around you and celebrating. I don’t get those moments anymore. I get to hang around my college teammates here and there, but this is a new chapter and it’s just as fulfilling, just very different in experience.”
- Resume reviews
- Career coaching
- Predictive index testing
- Job matching
- Interview coaching
- Certification programs
- Mock interviews
- Annual career fair at the Super Bowl
Other Players Find New Paths
Johnson Bademosi, who played defensive back for eight seasons with the Browns, Patriots, Texans, Dolphins and Saints from 2012-19, began a new career with a fellowship in the NFL football operations department in 2023. He later became an analyst at Blue Owl Capital, crediting the league’s financial education program for guiding him toward this role.
Johnson Bademosi said:
> “I was really grateful to get that experience,” Bademosi said about his time learning the ropes in the NFL offices. “It was an opportunity to bridge my experience playing in the NFL with actually working in the headquarters and seeing, in a sense, how the sausage is made, how the business is made, how they’re funded, and how they support players in a variety of ways.”
> “It’s really developed into bringing guys together to talk about their interests and passions and helping folks develop the skills necessary to network and explore what the next career after football will look like,” Bademosi said.
Brandin Dandridge, who spent a brief stint with the Chiefs in 2022 and later played in the Canadian Football League, discovered the Player Care Foundation’s career portal after a teammate encouraged him to check it out. He graduated from Microsoft Leap’s eight-week technical training, which equipped more than 20 former players with skills for tech careers.
Brandin Dandridge said:
> “I knew this was something that was important,” Dandridge said. “This is my career after football. I need to prioritize this. I need to take it serious. So that’s kind of the mentality I had going into the course. And ever since Day 1, I fell in love…”
A.J. Forbes, the Player Care Foundation’s program coordinator, noted:
> “Even though it’s this broader career program, we don’t forget about the player,” said A.J. Forbes. “No matter that scale, we still have that one-on-one resource with each player, which I think is what makes we unique and powerful and what kind of delivers… …… …”
| Metric | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Players Assisted | 2,741 | 2007-2023 |
| Funds Contributed | $21.7 million | 2007-2023 |
The foundation’s services-resume reviews, career coaching, predictive index testing, job matching, interview coaching, certification programs, mock interviews, and a yearly career fair-aim to help former players transition smoothly into new careers.
Key Takeaways
- The Player Care Foundation connects ex-players to jobs and coaching, having assisted 2,741 players and contributed $21.7 million.
- Former NFL athletes like Eric Lee, Johnson Bademosi, and Brandin Dandridge have successfully moved into nonprofit, finance, and tech roles using the foundation’s programs.
- The foundation’s comprehensive support-resume reviews, coaching, and a career fair-helps players translate on-field skills into off-field success.
These stories show that life after football can be just as rewarding, with the right guidance and resources.
