Raiders fullback Marcel Reece and Eagles tight end James Casey are among the participants in a joint NFL-NCAA career development program for coaches and prospective future coaches held this weekend in Phoenix, the league said Friday.
The NFL-NCAA Coaches Academy aims to help coaches in the early stages of their careers develop key job skills, with leadership, networking and interviewing among the topics to be covered in the three-day seminar, which began on Friday.
Fifty-eight participants were slated to attend the seminar, with 18 former NFL players and 10 current NFL players among the group. Among the former NFL players to attend were ex-Bear Curtis Enis, a high school coach in Bradford, Ohio; and ex-Patriot Tony Simmons, now a coach in Kouvola, Finland.
“Our goal is to develop a professional pipeline of coaches who understand the NFL standard and transfer that knowledge of coaching skills, leadership, and character to players at all levels,” said former NFL wide receiver James Thrash, manager of the NFL’s Player Engagement Program, in a league-issued statement.
Speakers at the seminar include Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles and NFL Network analyst and former Redskins G.M. Charley Casserly.