Former NFL player PATRICK KERNEY has been named NFL Vice President of Player Benefits and NFL Legends Operations, the National Football League announced today.
Kerney is a Pro Bowl defensive end for both the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks with a career spanning 11 years. He was drafted by the Falcons as a first-round pick in 1999 and later signed with the Seahawks in 2007.
Kerney retired in 2010 and earned his MBA in Finance from Columbia University in 2012. He then founded his own consulting firm focused on providing financial advice to current and former NFL players.
In his role with NFL Player Engagement, Kerney will oversee Player Benefits and the operations of the Legends Program, which launched July 2013 to connect former NFL players with each other, their former teams and the NFL. He will assist current and former players in leveraging their NFL playing experience into long-term opportunities.
“I am excited about the challenge to add value to the NFL and, in particular, Player Engagement. Player Engagement is aligned with my professional goals, which made the decision to join the team an easy one,” says Kerney. “I look forward to pursuing new and creative ways to help aspiring, current and former players leverage football and their NFL careers into long-term positive experiences in all facets of their lives.”
Kerney resides in Connecticut with his wife and two daughters. He attended the University of Virginia where he walked onto the football team and became an All-American defensive end, Academic All-Atlantic Coast Conference, and team captain.
Kerney is the newest addition to a team of former players assembled by Vincent who have specific skill sets in outreach and services to current/former players in the areas of transition, mental health, finance, and professional development. Included in this group are:
· DWIGHT HOLLIER spent nine years in the NFL and received his master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling while playing for the Miami Dolphins. He is currently a licensed professional counselor and nationally certified counselor. He oversees NFL mental health programs, including the Total Wellness/Q5 initiative and the NFL LIFELINE.
· JAMES THRASH played for the Philadelphia Eagles and Washington Redskins over a 12-year career and now serves as the manager of Player Engagement. He focuses on assisting players in transition from their playing experience into the next phase of their life, overseeing the Transition Assistance Program, among others.
· DAVID TYREE, a Super Bowl champion with the New York Giants, whose career spanned seven years, joined NFL Player Engagement to work on player services and benefits, as well as NFL PREP programs such as “1st & Goal.”
