NFL Internship Helps Players, Like Reggie Smith, Transition Into Life After Football

Life in the NFL is portrayed to be a lavish lifestyle, with all the perks of being rich and famous. But the truth is, it's often much less glamorous. The average NFL career is just a couple of years long, putting players into the next phase of their life a lot quicker than they'd hope to expect. All players enter the league imagining a long, and illustrious Hall of Fame career. But the reality is very few enjoy this type of success. And when that point comes, players don't know how to transition into that next phase. That's where the NFL Players Association comes in. They offer internships to help train athletes for life after football--a fate every player will experience at one point or another, sooner or later. Players like Reggie Smith.

Smith was drafted by the San Francisco 49ers as a third-round pick in 2008. And while he experienced his share of success, he was ultimately traded and cut by the Carolina Panthers in 2011. After being cut by the Oakland Raiders the following season, he realized his playing days might be numbered.

30 credits short of his degree from the University of Oklahoma, Smith went back to school. He took online courses while he continued to train for another shot at the NFL. After a year, he earned his degree in multidisciplinary studies. It was during that time that Smith learned about the NFL Players Association, and all the things they could offer--like internships.

Smith was immediately interested. And, in February, took part in a three-week internship program at Fanatics.com, along with several other NFL players. After the internship, Smith stayed in touch with the company, expressing an interest to come aboard as a permanent member. Smith was hired shortly thereafter.

While Smith's title may have changed, his work ethic hasn't. Smith routinely works 12 hour days--getting up at 4:10 a.m. for breakfast, followed by a trip to the gym--and he's just fine with that. With the first rush of the holidays under his belt, Smith has experienced the playoffs of the business world. And, according to Smith, he's "not a rookie anymore."