Data from LinkedIn, based on about 2,000 former National Football League players, shows a clear leader.
The most common job after retirement is entrepreneur or small business owner, with 20% of former players identifying in that category.
That makes it the No. 1 career path, ahead of every other option by a noticeable margin.
Other major roles include:
- Sales – 18%
- Coaching or fitness professional – 9%
- Finance, insurance, banking – 8%
In raw terms, nearly 2 out of every 5 former players are working in business, sales, or finance.
What Comes After That?
Beyond the top four, the rest of the career distribution looks like this:
- Campus and professional athletics – 5%
- Media, including TV and radio – 3%
- Real estate – 3%
- Education – 3%
- Non-profit and board roles – 2%
- Other fields – 23%
Zooming out, LinkedIn data shows:
- Around 44% of former NFL players are in business, sales, or client-facing roles
- About 13% to 18% stay in sports-related careers
- Only 3% to 4% enter media full-time.
Why Entrepreneurship Dominates
The numbers line up with how NFL careers are structured. The average NFL career lasts about 3 to 4 years.
The data also shows that players often earn significant income early, giving them startup capital, and many build personal brands while still active.
That leads to:
- 20% overall entrepreneurship rate
- 31% of players retired for 20+ years owning businesses
- Compared to just 11% among players retired less than five years
The longer players are out of the league, the more they shift toward ownership and independent ventures.
Post NFL Reality Check
Despite high earnings during their NFL careers, financial outcomes vary:
A notable number of former players face financial struggles years after retirement
This has driven growth in business ventures, investment opportunities, and financial education programs targeting athletes.
At the same time, the data shows a clear response with movement toward stable income roles like sales and finance, and increased focus on long-term wealth through business ownership.
Conclusively:
- 20% become entrepreneurs, the highest of any category
- 38% venture in entrepreneurship and sales combined
- 40% to 50% are in business-related careers overall
The most common post-retirement job for NFL players is entrepreneurship, and it has been consistently ranked No. 1 across multiple datasets.
Where Podcasting Actually Ranks
Podcasting falls under media, and media roles account for just 3% to 4% of former players.
That includes opportunities with companies like ESPN, which spends about $1.9 billion annually on NFL rights and produces extensive football content weekly.
Even with that scale, the number of available roles remains small compared to the total player pool.
Why Podcasting Feels Bigger Than It Is
The perception comes from visibility, not volume.
A small group of high-profile former players dominate attention:
- Shows tied to current or former stars generate millions of views
- Social media amplifies their reach far beyond traditional careers
This creates the impression that media is a common path, even though the data shows otherwise.
The Real Truth
For most players, podcasting is not a primary career. It is often a side project, used as a branding tool, and helps secure endorsements, TV roles, or partnerships.
Even at the top level:
- Only a small percentage of shows generate consistent high revenue
- Income depends heavily on ads and audience size
Why Most Players Don’t Choose Podcasting
The numbers reflect practical barriers:
- Limited full-time opportunities compared to business roles
- Requires consistent content production, not just name recognition
- Income is less predictable than sales, finance, or entrepreneurship
- The market is crowded, with thousands of competing shows
At the same time, business and sales roles offer clearer income paths. As such, finance roles provide long-term stability.
Bottom Line
3% to 4% of former players work in media, while 20% become entrepreneurs. Up to 50% work in business-related fields.
Podcasting is highly visible but low in adoption. Entrepreneurship, sales, and finance remain the dominant paths after the NFL.
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