Ex-NFL QB, ESPN analyst Trent Dilfer emphasizes financial literacy as a potential key recruiting pitch

Former NFL quarterback, ESPN analyst and Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy head coach Trent Dilfer has seen a lot of what the world of football has to offer students.

But he has also seen what happens when people don’t know how to handle their money.

Teaching professional athletes about financial literacy has become a huge component of rookie onboarding in pro leagues like the NFL. With name, image and likeness (NIL) sweeping the nation, Dilfer thinks its time that younger players learn the same things. Dilfer talked Thursday on On3’s LeverUp podcast about the importance of athletes learning about financial literacy and how colleges can use it to their advantage.

At Nashville (Tenn.) Lipscomb Academy, Dilfer has been holding what he calls kitchen table conversations. He gathers his a group players around a kitchen table and begins discussions about a variety of topics.

“We do these really raw conversations about life and we touch on every subject,” Dilfer said. “We did two sessions on financial literacy. We had we had a guy come in one time and we had a zoom call from another ex-NFL player who  now does is in the financial services business and he talked to our kids about financial literacy — direct specifically to nil. Because he knows what our room is full of: we know we have a corner and two linebackers and a receiver and a quarterback that are all going to make a lot of money.”

Dilfer said it is not just about the high schools coaches teaching the students, either. Colleges should be emphasizing it as well.

He believes it should become a major part of the recruiting process.

“I better be seeing them say hey guys, or hey Trent, we are going to provide this for you when you get here,” Dilfer said. “You’re going to have five days a week somebody teaching you financial literacy. You’re going to have all these tools at your disposal so that this chunk of money you’re gonna get through NIL, you’re gonna learn how to use that not just now but in the future and take care of your family for years to come because most likely if we develop you properly you’re going to play on Sundays. I think that needs become a huge part of recruiting is what are we doing with these kids once we get them to help them grow, nurture, develop their financial literacy muscle.”