For this edition of Monday Motivation, I am combining my love of football, especially The Philadelphia EAGLES, with entrepreneurship. We hear many stories of professional athletes that lose their fortunes so here are a few that have created successful entrepreneurial empires.

I don’t take anything away from players that leveraged their celebrity to create successful brands and the dollars that come with it. But I truly appreciate the players who have businesses like ours and made them successful. A few of the players listed I never heard of so I know they didn’t leave the game with millions. They are like us, dreamers with a vision and a plan.

The KELCE Brothers: Just call me an 92%er!

The Kelce brothers, Travis and Jason, have made a enviable transition from the football field to entrepreneurship. They went from dominating the football field to dominating eyeballs and ears every week..

I am an avid listener, during football season, to the New Heights podcast. They has really helped me go through the highs and lows of my EAGLES football season. Their humor, brotherly love and realistic take on the game have calmed me down. Their guests love them too.

Known for their talent, grit, and leadership in the NFL, the two have successfully applied these same qualities to business ventures off the field. Travis Kelce, an All-Pro tight end, launched his own production company. This helps to create content that reflects his personality and interests. Jason, my Super Bowl champion center, has invested in and supported various community-based initiatives. Together, the Kelce brothers are proving that their skills in strategy, teamwork, and discipline can thrive not only in sports but also in the competitive world of entrepreneurship, building legacies beyond the gridiron.

Marques Colston

He played college football at Hofstra University, and was drafted by the New Orleans Saints in the seventh round (252nd overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft. He played his entire 10-year with the Saints, helping the team achieve victory in Super Bowl XLIV. He is the Saints’ all-time franchise leader in receptions, receiving yards, and total touchdowns.

He started Marques Colston Enterprises (MCE) to empower growth-minded athletes, entrepreneurs and executives to discover, evolve and implement essential tools to better position themselves for sustained success and his other businesess include Main Squeeze Juice Co., a New Orleans-based fast casual juice and smoothie bar and he is a partner at Timeless Herbal Care, a Jamaica-based cannabis company focused on all aspects of the international medical cannabis industry

Eddie George

Eddie George is a former Heisman Trophy winner and NFL running back who played nine seasons in the league. Two years before leaving the NFL, George founded the EDGE Group, a landscape architecture and design firm that serves commercial developers, municipalities, and schools. The 17-person firm has offices in Nashville and Columbus, Ohio. He also owns The Edward George Wealth Management Group and EGX Lifestyle working to help people develop healthy lives,

Alex Bernstein

Alex Bernstein became only the fifth NFL player from Amherst when he signed by the Baltimore Ravens as an undrafted free agent following the 1997 NFL Draft.^[2] During his four-year NFL career he was a reserve offensive lineman many teams.  In 2000, he suffered a career ending injury and five years after retiring, Bernstein founded North Venture Partners, a software and technology incubator in Oakland, California. The 15-person company has launched or invested in 11 companies. Inc. Magazine named Bernstein one of the most successful NFL players turned entrepreneur.

Barry Word

Barry Word spent 7 years as a running back in the National Football League. He was given the NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award. Now he owns Speedpro Imaging Centreville and services clients Fairfax, Centreville, Manassas, Gainesville and surrounding communities in Virginia/Washington DC.

Jordan Palmer

Back in his playing days, Jordan Palmer was regarded as a fairly average NFL quarterback. Today, NFL quarterback Jordan Palmer has founded a number of businesses. In 2007, he co-founded Rock Software, which built mobile apps for athletes and celebrities. He is now a partner at the online marketing agency Common Thread Collective, whose clients include DIFF Charitable Eyewear and TheraGun. Within the sports realm, Palmer is the founder of the quarterback training camp QB Summit.

Here are my sources:

• https://medium.com/authority-magazine/how-former-nfl-pro-marques-colston-thrives-as-an-athlete-turned-entrepreneur-803c47ee2d66
• https://www.si.com/nfl/2014/08/21/nfl-alex-bernstein-pro-file
• https://medium.com/thrive-global/29-pro-athletes-who-became-entrepreneurs-and-how-they-are-still-winning-out-of-the-stadium-dfef5e06c9bf
• https://www.entrepreneur.com/slideshow/305571#3