What Education Is Needed to Become a Professional NFL Football Player

Sports are primarily thought of as brawn over brains. Formal education has no apparent direct use in athletics, so having set your sights on becoming a professional athlete, why waste time in a classroom mixed up with puny nerds when you can be out on the field instead? This is akin to a fifth-graders short-sighted objection to a math teacher about the inapplicability of math in the real world. Sports involve strategic thinking and cunning, and just as math strengthens the brain and develops logical reasoning, education can help hone your athletic intelligence. This is one reason the NFL requires a baseline of academic credentials from entrants (more on that later).

Additionally, unlike other sports where players flourish in their prime for several years or even decades, NFL careers are rather short-lived, with a measly average of just 3.3 years.

This means that those diplomas and degrees that many prospective athletes skip might come in handy after all after your sports heydays are over and you’re left high and dry. 

Without further ado, let’s go over what education you’ll need to fulfill your dream of becoming a professional NFL player. 

School Diploma is a Must

The ‘’Mom, I don’t need to finish school. I’m going to be an athlete’’ card doesn’t work for American Football. NFL requires a minimum of a school diploma for a player to be drafted into the league. You must be at least three years out of high school to qualify.

Since it turns out you’re stuck with graduating from your high school, here’s something that will at least ease your struggles. Keeping up with academic responsibilities can be tough enough as it is, especially if your main focus is sports. Future professional athletes need to prioritize their sport above all, so next time you are pleading ‘’someone help do my essay’’, delegate your due tasks to quality-writing services and hit the field! You’ll have more time for intensive training that won’t harm your studies.

College Experience is Preferred

NFL prefers players with some baggage of skills, experience, and maturity and thus gives priority to players involved in college football. Your college football stats are going to be your primary selling point on your sports CV and are a major build-up that will pave your path to a professional league.

While it’s true that colleges tend to let things slide and overlook some academic shortcomings when it comes to their promising, future-superstar football players, there’s a limit to this special tolerance, and you will still need some level of academic participation to progress from one year to the next. 

Just don’t make the mistake of assuming the NFL will be just like the college American football you’ve grown used to. And don’t think just because you were the best player in college, you will automatically take the major league by storm. You will be exposed to a new level of hype, stakes, and responsibility after you transition to a professional league, so be ready to not be ready right away. 

Bottom Line

It’s true – to become a successful athlete, you need to put your sport above all and prioritize your athletic development over every aspect of your life. Sports require complete focus and dedication, and full-time commitment is the only path to success. 

Although, as we have shown, you will need some baseline credentials to enter the league, and having a sound academic stance will ensure you have options after your sports career is over, just in case it doesn’t turn out as successful as you’d hoped and result in a lifetime’s worth of riches. 

   Author’s bio

Josh Garner is a skilled designer and freelance writer. He has more than 10 years of experience in the design industry under his belt and has seen how the field has evolved and changed in the face of rapidly advancing technology and the digital revolution. Josh has a large following and frequently blogs on technology, design, and architecture developments.