“My dream would be to come back and teach players like me, someone walking into the financial opportunity of the NFL without any idea of how to speak the language of money!”
- June 8, 2008; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Jedidiah Collins, the Founder, and CEO of Money Vehicle, wrote this in his journal 15 years ago. And now, today, Money Vehicle is proud to announce a partnership with the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) where Collins and the company will be doing just that!
While the NFLPA can partner with any financial advocate and financial literacy curriculum creator in the country, it is choosing to collaborate with Money Vehicle and Collins because MV only works with students! Money Vehicle is not going to ask these men for their investment dollars, for an account to be opened, or for a policy to be purchased — the only purpose of this partnership between the NFLPA and Money Vehicle is to teach these men the language of money.
“With Jed having been a member of the NFL Players Association, Money Vehicle is an ideal partner for us. The message Jed shares is one that players can connect with because he walked in their shoes. This collaboration will provide a resource for our players to make the most of their NFL dream,” said Dana Shuler, the Senior Director of Player Affairs at the NFLPA.
A financial literacy curriculum for NFL players
The new collaboration gives the young people fortunate enough to make an NFL roster the opportunity to work with a financial educator, and one who has been in their shoes. Collins has a unique connection and understanding to the chaotic NFL season, the crazy demands (financial and otherwise) that NFL players experience on and off the field, and the small window of time that NFL players have to take advantage of it all.
For context, Collins recently held a workshop with a number of new NFL players. Standing in front of a room of rookies Collins holds up a tape measure showing 3.2 inches and asks, “What does 3.2 mean to you?” Most rookies are unaware of the connection, but one brave soul responds with “average career.” Jed continues: “That is exactly right, 3.2 years is how long the luck half make it in this business, and that number is skewed because the elite players often make it a decade.”
Next, Collins asks a rookie in the front row to hold one end, and walks out 30 inches. Pausing to explain that the NFL Dream is when 3.2 years creates 30 years of wealth. Then, he walks out to 60 inches and explains the hurdle of living 60 years. Finally, he begins to walk out to the maximum 120 inches (10 feet), explaining that it is not only their life, but the life of their parents, spouse, kids, cousins, etc. that also must be captured in those 3.2 years.
In other words, the NFL dream is short-lived for the vast majority of players. To take the best advantage of it, they’ll need to be smart about how they handle their earnings.
Collins’ dream, which he wrote down 15 years ago, has come to fruition! The Money Vehicle Movement is working its way through the men of the NFL and this partnership with the NFLPA is just getting started.
Check out the Money Vehicle textbook — you can find it here on Amazon. And if you like what you see, you can get more content sent directly to your inbox! Sign up for the Money Vehicle Movement Newsletter!
And check out our white paper: “Strategies for Increasing Financial Literacy Rates Among High School and College Students”
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