Mike recommends that transitioning players use NFL resources and community support when considering and exploring their next steps.
The NFL Transition Coach program uses a peer-to-peer coaching model that empowers trained NFL Legends to serve as mentors, supporters, and sounding boards for players transitioning out of the NFL. NFL Total Wellness provides at least 70 hours of training for Transition Coaches to give them the skills to build relationships with transitioning players and to identify when individuals are struggling or need additional support. This interview series briefly profiles the coaches who assist players navigating the challenges of life after the game.
Mike Haynes played defensive back and punt returner for the New England Patriots and Los Angeles Raiders for 14 years (7 years for each team). He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame and the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2000 and 1997, respectively. Currently, Mike enjoys being a lifelong learner, spending time with his loved ones, and helping players successfully transfer out of the NFL. Mike has been a Transition Coach since 2012. In this profile, we have drafted a narrative based on a small section of Mike’s responses to three important questions.
"If the transitioned player knows exactly what he’d like to do…then it’s probably an easier transition. But if he’s like me, I didn’t know what I wanted to transition into. So there [are] different things you can do…take different tests…talk to someone in the areas that you have …an interest in."
Having worked various jobs both during and after his career, Mike notes that he was still unsure what he wanted to do after his career's end. He found himself trying various paths, including, but not limited to, money management, broadcasting, public relations, and even within the NFL in the player development, now player engagement, department. Mike recommends that transitioning players use NFL resources and community support when considering and exploring their next steps.
"We all wanted to win…to be champions…to get to the Super Bowl…to do great things and set records and stuff like that. We all had that in common! I might not have walked in his exact same footsteps. But we’ve had a lot of the same experiences. And when it came to life after football, feeling that you were going to have a good, healthy life was important."
Mike reflects on the camaraderie among professional football players regardless of their position or time in the league. Mike recognizes the importance of having a good, healthy life post-football, and is passionate about helping transitioning players achieve that outcome. Transition Coaches, like transitioning players, understand the effort required to be successful at a high level and can help players utilize the skills they have learned during their playing journey to navigate through difficult transitions.
"[1] Think long-term. [2] Do what you really enjoy doing. [3] Set goals that will inspire you…you have kids, you want them to go to college? Set some goals for that!"
Mike provides these three “nuggets” of advice for players transitioning out of the NFL. Transition Coaches utilize the SMART goal approach when working with players, assisting them with developing goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Finding intentional moments and ways to reconnect with children and family can be a protective factor for transitioning players. As a father of six, Mike highlights the importance of being a present parent who shares their knowledge with young people. He uses the wisdom he has gained over his life and career to encourage his children to be intentional about their own pursuits, an approach he applies equally to the players he coaches.
