Job fair held for current, former NFL players - Philadelphia News, Weather and Sports from WTXF FOX 29

Some Atlanta Falcons players are making plans for life after football. Fifty current and retired NFL players attended a career and franchising event in Atlanta on Wednesday.

While some former NFL greats manage to land lucrative endorsement deals after the game, that is not the norm.

Falcons defensive back Jonathan Babineaux knows that, so he attended the NFL Players Career and Franchising event.

"We can't play football forever. You know, you gotta have some type of exit plan after football. You know, the cost of living is going up every day. So, I can't say that I will rely forever on the money that I made playing football," said Babineaux.

Players came out to hear business leaders and learn how to go from handling a football to maybe one day navigating a board room.

Even younger players like wide receiver Kevin Cone recognize the value of this unique career event.

"Definitely the mock interview is gonna help. The resume critique is gonna help. Networking is always invaluable. And just learning from just so many successful people what it took for them to get where they're at," Cone said.

The Falcons organized the event with Ascending Athletes – a transition assistance company for professional athletes. Company president Andy Schroeder says these professional athletes have qualities that are sought after in the business world.

"Whether it be their commitment to excellence, their work ethic, their dedication to teamwork – there are so many attributes that each individual learns through playing football," Schroeder said.

On Thursday, the players will go through formal interviews for companies actually looking to fill positions.

Adidas, Reebok, Home Depot and UPS are among the 25 companies participating in the NFL Players Career and Franchise event.