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.
Ron Carpenter, Jr. was a defensive back and kick returner for the Cincinnati Bengals, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, and the 2000 St. Louis Rams Super Bowl XXXIV Championship team. Recognizing that he still had more to accomplish on the playing field, Ron extended his playing career in NFL Europe, the Arena Football League and the XFL – all while beginning a football coaching career at the high school and eventually collegiate levels. A two-sport college athlete and record setting four-year letter winner in football, Ron was inducted into the Miami University Hall of Fame in 2016. Currently, Ron serves as the dean of students at a public charter school in Indiana and coaches his three school-aged sons. One of the recent additions to the Transition Coach team, Ron completed the 2023 Transition Coach Training program and became a coach in the spring of 2025. In this profile, we have drafted a narrative based on a small section of his response to three important questions.
If someone trusts you, they’re willing to talk to you and open up. They’re willing to work with you as you stand with them and whatever it is they’re going through as we try to navigate next steps for them. Trust is huge. Without trust, walls are up.
Ron identifies trust as a foundational component of connection as a Transition Coach. Trust can open the conversation and help an individual feel comfortable disclosing the concerns they are facing. Ron also highlights the importance of active listening and selective self-disclosure in meeting players where they are and walking with them as they navigate what is next.
It was scary, but I didn’t let it paralyze me…I was not ready to stop playing. I was only 30…I played five more years in different leagues…and I had time to figure out, this is coming to an end. What do you want to do? And that’s when I figured out, I wanted to get into coaching.
Ron utilized the years that he was playing football outside of the NFL to begin his second career as a football coach. When he decided that he wanted to explore coaching at the collegiate level, Ron leaned into the resources that were available to him through the NFL. For example, he participated in the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship at his father’s alma mater Central State University and subsequently coached at various universities before shifting to a career in education. Ron recognizes that using his resources and remaining connected to a strong support system was critical to his career development. He is now eager to utilize his expertise and experience to help other former players as they transition to their second and maybe third careers.
Reach out to the NFL, to the NFLPA, to the Trust, and find [support]…the ones who want absolutely nothing but want to see you succeed. Find those people. Listen to them. Take the advice.
Ron encourages former players to actively seek support from trusted resources and individuals. He understands that every player will have to identify what’s next when they leave the game. For Ron, coaching led to teaching, and teaching led to his current role in school administration. For others, the path may look different – but having trusted support around you to help navigate this journey is essential.
