After 16 years in the NFL, Jon Kitna is now teaching 16-year-olds.
Kitna, who retired from football after the 2011 season and played for the Seahawks, Bengals, Lions, and Cowboys, has been hired as a teacher and coach at Lincoln High School in Tacoma.
Danny O’Neil of the Seattle Times tells the tale of Kitna’s transition. He’s working for the same high school he attended — and the same school Kitna’s son will attend in the fall.
Kitna has purchased new weight-room equipment for the school, and he supervises the weight-training program.
So why is Kitna not taking it easy after a long football career? “We don’t believe that we’ve been given all we’ve been given to just enjoy a comfortable life,” Kitna said.
It’s a great example of a pro athlete finding a way to make the transition to a normal life; Kitna has embraced a normal life. And, given his background, he could do great things with it.