The NFL reports that 10 former and 13 current NFL players are expected to attend a new four-day NFL Business Management & Entrepreneurial “Investment for Impact” program at the University of Notre Dame on April 18-21.
Players include free agent Charlie Batch and two-time Pro Bowler Adalius Thomas. The program was developed by quarterback Brady Quinn and 10-year NFL center Jeff Faine, who are both graduates of the University of Notre Dame.
Faine said that a lot of NFL players want to give back, but see obstacles in federal and state laws concerning charities.
During the program, both Quinn and Faine will speak alongside NFL players with social entrepreneurship backgrounds including Warrick Dunn, Rick Mirer, Jeremy Bloom, and Deke Cooper. They will discuss the notion of setting up for-profit businesses that have philanthropic missions.
“The opportunity to play in the NFL has provided a platform to have an impact on our communities,” said Quinn, a six-year veteran, on the NFL website. ”It is my hope that through the Notre Dame Entrepreneurial program, attendees may learn how to invest with an impact for the greater good.”
“It has been a longstanding goal to give back in a meaningful way to the game that has provided so much opportunity for me. This course will provide a template on how to bridge traditional business models with a focus on the greater good of humanity. I believe social entrepreneurship is the wave of the future,” added Faine.