An award-winning book that takes us “inside the lives of NFL players to show why so many wind up in dire straits after their time on the field” (New York Post).

2016 Best Book Award, North American Society for the Sociology of Sport

In this book, two social scientists team up with former linebacker and University of Wisconsin athletic director George Koonce to put a human face on the realities of life after professional football, exploring the challenges players face as well as the factors that can enable them to establish a successful post-NFL career.

Drawing upon the experiences of hundreds of former players who describe their lives while playing the sport and after their football days are over, it shows how the “bubble”-like conditions of privilege that NFL players experience often leave them unprepared for the real world once they retire and must manage their own lives. The book also reveals the difficulties affecting former NFL players in retirement: social isolation, financial concerns, inadequate career planning, psychological challenges, and physical injuries. From players who make reckless and unsustainable financial investments during their very few high-earning years, to players who struggle to form personal and professional relationships outside of football, the stories in the book are both poignant and enlightening. Koonce weaves in his own story throughout, explaining the challenges he encountered and decisions that helped him succeed after leaving the sport. Ultimately, Is There Life After Football? concludes that, despite the challenges players face, it is possible for them to find success after leaving the NFL if they have the right support, education, and awareness of what might await them.

“A timely exploration that will be of interest to football fans looking to better understand the complex culture of the NFL.” ―Booklist