Jaguars running back Maurice Jones-Drew and linebacker Thomas Williams are among twenty-four current and former NFL players who will take part in the annual NFL Broadcast Boot Camp at NFL Films in Mt. Laurel, New Jersey. Former Jaguars tight end Kyle Brady is also participating in the seminar.
The program, which runs from June 22-25, is directed by the NFL Broadcasting Department and covers a wide range of topics with instructors from each of the NFL's broadcast partners – CBS, ESPN, FOX, NBC, NFL Network, SIRIUS Satellite Radio, Westwood One Radio, plus local radio and TV. It will include hands-on work in areas such as tape study, editing, show preparation, radio production, control room operation, studio preparation, production meetings, field reporting and game preparation. Each player will tape segments as a studio and game analyst and take part in a networking session with television executives. Each player also will serve as a live radio host on SIRIUS NFL Radio.
Of the 40 players who took part in the Broadcast Boot Camp in 2007 and 2008, 21 have already earned broadcasting jobs as a result of their participation in the program.
"We continue to look for ways to help players develop skills to enhance their NFL and post-NFL careers. Many of last year's participants used this program as a career springboard and two have returned (Derek Rackley and Ross Tucker) to help this year's class," said NFL Vice President of Labor Policy and Player Development Adolpho Birch.
"The support of the NFL's broadcast partners will provide our players with a foundation for understanding the sports broadcasting business," added Chris Henry, NFL Director of Player Development.
"The NFLPA will continue to develop strategic alliances that will lead to the creation of programs like the Broadcast Boot Camp. These programs provide players the opportunity to gain valuable experience and help to prepare them for life after football." said Stacy Robinson, Director of Player Development for the NFL Players Association.
The NFL Broadcast Boot Camp is part of an ongoing NFL-NFLPA initiative to assist players in preparing for their post-playing careers. Over the past four years, more than 470 players have participated in the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program. Each offseason, with the support of team and league player development departments, more than 100 NFL players independently enroll in college courses as they work towards Master's or Bachelor's degrees while more than 130 others pursue career development opportunities.
Enrollment criteria for the Broadcast Boot Camp include previous participation in NFL Player Development programs, prior media experience, essays, and NFL playing experience.
Following are the NFL players enrolled in the NFL Broadcast Boot Camp (most recent team in parentheses if player is a free agent):
**Player** | **Team** | **Player** | **Team** | |
**Kyle Brady** | Retired (NE, **JAX**, NYJ) | Bryant McFadden | Arizona | |
Danny Clark | NY Giants | Dave Moore | Retired (TB, BUF, MIA) | |
Terry Cousin | (Cleveland) | Jerrell Pippens | Retired (SD, CHI) | |
Oliver Gibson | Retired (CIN, PIT) | Antwaan Randle-El | Washington | |
La'Roi Glover | (St. Louis) | Adam Seward | Indianapolis | |
Gibran Hamdan | Buffalo | Tony Stewart | Oakland | |
Cortez Hankton | Tampa Bay | Osi Umenyiora | NY Giants | |
William Henderson | Retired (GB) | Andrew Walter | Oakland | |
Priest Holmes | Retired (KC, BAL) | **Thomas Williams** | **Jacksonville** | |
**Maurice Jones-Drew** | **Jacksonville** | Damien Woody | NY Jets | |
Joe Jurevicius | (Cleveland) | Tony Wragge | San Francisco | |
Matt Light | New England | Renaldo Wynn | Washington |
With more than 400 years of broadcasting experience, following are the NFL broadcasting talent and production staff who will lend their expertise to the program:
**Name** | **Network** | **Name** | **Network** | |
Glenn Adamo | NFL Films | Bud Morgan | ESPN Media Consultant | |
Brian Baldinger | NFL Network | Nick Pavlatos | SIRIUS Radio | |
Bill Brown | FOX | Mike Quick | Eagles Radio | |
James Brown | CBS | Derek Rackley | Comcast | |
Paul Burmeister | NFL Network | Mike Rosenstein | NFL Films | |
Greg Cosell | NFL Films | Jay Rothman | ESPN | |
Howard Deneroff | Westwood One | Gerry Sandusky | WBAL-TV | |
Fred Gaudelli | NBC | Adam Schein | SIRIUS Radio | |
Rob Gill | NFL Films | Vai Sikahema | WCAU-TV | |
Dave Hagen | SIRIUS Radio | Ray Smaltz | FOX | |
Ron Jaworski | ESPN | Molly Solomon | NBC | |
Howard Katz | NFL | Ross Tucker | SIRIUS Radio | |
Curt Menefee | FOX | Dick Vermeil | NFL Network | |
Steve Menzel | NFL Films | Solomon Wilcots | CBS/NFL Network | |
Larry Michael | Redskins Media | Mark Wolff | CBS | |
Tiffany Montgomery | NFL |