In the next profile of this series, Colin Cole discusses the resilience required to navigate an uncertain NFL career and the relationship-driven nature of peer-to-peer Transition Coaching.
The NFL Transition Coach program uses a peer-to-peer coaching model that empowers trained NFL Legends to offer structured guidance and support to players transitioning out of the NFL. NFL Total Wellness provides Transition Coaches with at least 70 hours of training to equip them with the skills necessary for effective relationship building, crisis management, and coordination of care. This interview series briefly profiles the coaches who assist players as they navigate the unique challenges of life after the game.
Colin Cole was a defensive tackle for the Minnesota Vikings, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers, Seattle Seahawks, and Carolina Panthers, playing 11 seasons before retiring from the NFL in 2015. Since then, he has completed a coaching internship, served as a local NFLPA chapter president, and volunteered in his community. Colin completed the Transition Coach Training in 2023 and became a coach in the fall of 2025. This profile provides a brief narrative drawn from Colin’s responses to three important questions.
Nothing is ever handed to anybody, and you have to be resilient throughout your life…Early on in my career I was released twice in two days. I got released at final cuts, cleared waivers, and got signed that same day on practice squad. The following day, I got released again. I questioned whether this was the career path for me, but I saw past that situation and kept on fighting.
As an undrafted free agent who eventually became a key contributor on multiple teams, Colin followed an uncertain path. He highlights the importance of resilience throughout his journey, and, as a Transition Coach, his goal is to walk alongside other former players as they identify their own sources of motivation and purpose in life after football. Colin hopes that his experiences and his consistent support can make a meaningful difference during their transition.
For those two years that I was out of football, it was a struggle because I was working out without really making any progress or having any opportunities coming my way. After that two-year hiatus, having the opportunity to return to the game was pretty awesome.
Colin notes that he transitioned out of the NFL twice: first after a severe ankle injury and multiple surgeries kept him out for two seasons, and again after returning for two full seasons before retiring at the start of the 2015 season. He describes that first transition as especially difficult because he was preparing to return to play with no clear opportunities. Like many other players, he was challenged with the possibility of an abrupt end to his career without a chance to finish on his own terms. Colin also described the challenge of remaining in a city that still viewed him as a player though he was no longer a part of the team and had few ties beyond the game. His experience underscores how identity and sense of belonging shift during transition. He and his family eventually moved to North Carolina to be closer to family. There he continued his recovery, finished his playing career, and developed the perspective he now shares with players navigating their own transitions out of football.
A Transition Coach is a guy who you can call on when you need him, not just during office hours…Reach out to me when you need to have certain conversations…I’m going to see you through…from beginning to end to make sure that you get the support you need…It’s a relationship.
Since retiring, Colin has supported former players by helping to grow his local NFLPA chapter, building personal connections with other local members of the former player community, and sharing information about benefits and resources. He sees his role as a Transition Coach as a natural extension of that work. Colin’s commitment goes beyond providing referrals and extends to building long lasting relationships.
