If you don't remember the name Freddie Scott, it's okay. Scott only gained 80 yards for the Atlanta Falcons over his short three-year NFL career. However, after years of working toward this goal, the former Falcon and Indianapolis Colts receiver has found a purpose behind the scenes, by assisting with the NFL's transition program. Scott joins former players Garry Cobb, Eddie Mason and Ken Ruettgers.
According to this profile on Scott, the 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."
If you do a quick Google search, there are various horror stories of players going bankrupt just years after retiring from the NFL. According to Scott, one of the reasons is the initial transition from being under the structure of a rigorous NFL schedule to the freedom of retirement that to some, doesn't feel so free.
You've been given a schedule in the NFL: you know what you're going to do, where you are going to eat, what time you going to report, what your day was going to look like, what your year is going to look like. Now, you don't have anyone telling you to get up and do anything…
The transition coach program looks to be a tremendous opportunity for Scott as well as the others who get to devote their time to assisting players on the difficult transition to life as a retiree after achieving their life's dream.
"I see our role as more like a lifeguard. We're not a counselor, we’re not a clinician, we're not diagnosing anything. We're simply a bridge to support. As a peer, we see ourselves as someone that’s going to walk with you through this process and connect you to the experts and to the programs that are in place to help you with that particular issue."