NFL Total Wellness supports players, former players, their families, and coaches and staff so they can get the most out of the game for their careers and life.
NFL Total Wellness and our partners provide this support throughout players’ NFL careers, transition to life after football, and beyond.
Total Wellness is just that… Total. Research shows that “wellness” is multi-faceted and interconnected among emotional, environmental, financial, intellectual, occupational, physical, social, and spiritual dimensions. If someone is not feeling physically healthy or socially connected, it can affect them emotionally. If they are having mental health challenges, it can impact their relationships and job performance.
Our evidence-based approach promotes wellness across these many dimensions — tailored to the unique circumstances of the NFL family — in partnership with the NFL Players Association, NFL Legends Community, NFL Player Engagement, Player Care Foundation, NFL Life Line, Cigna, and more. The rewards of an NFL career are overwhelmingly positive, and personal wellness always needs tending and nurturing.
Players entering the league are dealing with a myriad of pressures and new circumstances, including trying to make and fit in with the team, managing newfound wealth, living in the spotlight, and dealing with conflicting demands for their time. They need support at the start to navigate these new challenges.
As their careers progress, new challenges may arise, such as injuries, moves to new teams and cities, or ongoing job insecurity. Players need wellness approaches that help them perform at their peak, maintain strong relationships, deal with the ups and downs of the game, and begin preparing for life after football.
Most NFL players transition from the game while they’re still young, and the adjustment can be emotionally, occupationally, socially, and financially challenging. They may be searching for a career or purpose and the structure and social connections that playing football used to bring them.
As former players settle into their life after football, they may need new approaches for budgeting their spending, staying in shape, satisfying their competitive spirit, and generating the social connections that team membership provided. They also need awareness of the bevy of benefits they earned by playing for the NFL.
Players aren’t doing it alone: family members are critical members of their team who both provide and need wellness support. They are called upon to be adaptable and flexible—potentially including moves to multiple cities during a player’s career—and are fully involved in the transition to life after football.
Job insecurity, long hours, and external and self-imposed pressure to win can impact physical, emotional, and social wellness. An intentional approach to wellness helps maintain balance and perspective and fosters a culture of wellness for the team.
Players entering the league are dealing with a myriad of pressures and new circumstances, including trying to make and fit in with the team, managing newfound wealth, living in the spotlight, and dealing with conflicting demands for their time. They need support at the start to navigate these new challenges.
As their careers progress, new challenges may arise, such as injuries, moves to new teams and cities, or ongoing job insecurity. Players need wellness approaches that help them perform at their peak, maintain strong relationships, deal with the ups and downs of the game, and begin preparing for life after football.
Most NFL players transition from the game while they’re still young, and the adjustment can be emotionally, occupationally, socially, and financially challenging. They may be searching for a career or purpose and the structure and social connections that playing football used to bring them.
As former players settle into their life after football, they may need new approaches for budgeting their spending, staying in shape, satisfying their competitive spirit, and generating the social connections that team membership provided. They also need awareness of the bevy of benefits they earned by playing for the NFL.
Players aren’t doing it alone: family members are critical members of their team who both provide and need wellness support. They are called upon to be adaptable and flexible—potentially including moves to multiple cities during a player’s career—and are fully involved in the transition to life after football.
Job insecurity, long hours, and external and self-imposed pressure to win can impact physical, emotional, and social wellness. An intentional approach to wellness helps maintain balance and perspective and fosters a culture of wellness for the team.
Supporting wellness is a team effort, and NFL Total Wellness serves as a provider and facilitator. Many partners contribute time and resources. We make sure these resources all work together with our own offerings to best support future and current players, NFL Legends, coaches, staff, and their families.
We promote wellness through education, resource provision, support systems, and strong governance. We work with wellness experts who weigh in on player policies, and we create and support resources and programs that focus on players and their loved ones.
In all we do, we aim to provide education to eliminate the stigma around asking for help and define it as a strength, not a weakness. By normalizing help-seeking, our holistic approach empowers members of the NFL community to make full use of the many resources available.
