IRVING, Texas (Aug. 30, 2017) – The National Football Foundation (NFF) announced today that it will expand its “I’m A Football Player®” initiative this college football season with a social media campaign.

Throughout the fall, the NFF will produce a series of graphics to be distributed through social media and email, highlighting former college football players who have gone on to experience success off the field.

“The goal of the campaign is to generate a strong understanding of how the values learned through football translate into success later in life,” said NFF President & CEO Steve Hatchell. “From Fortune 500 CEOs, to lawyers and doctors, to coaches and teachers and all other walks of life, we want to showcase everyone who has benefited from the game of football, sharing their stories across the nation. This campaign is an opportunity for all of those who took away life lessons from the game and are proud to say ‘I’m A Football Player.'”

“There are thousands of successful people across this country who owe their success in some part to the game of football,” said NFF Chairman Archie Manning. “And I proudly include myself in that number because the lessons I learned on the gridiron have stuck with me throughout my life. Providing people a platform to express the positive impact that football has had on their lives is a great way to protect and grow the game for future generations.”

The “I’m A Football Player®” initiative is part of a larger campaign launched by the NFF in 2013 called FootballMatters®, which provides people throughout the country with a voice in highlighting the positive impact that football has had on their lives by utilizing social media platforms and the hashtag #FootballMatters. The launch included a highly successful TV spot and testimonial, which showcased Jeff Immelt, the former chairman and CEO of GE and a former offensive lineman at Dartmouth College. The commercial, which has been seen by millions of people, captures Immelt’s perspective on the value of his football experiences in running one of the world’s largest and most successful industrial conglomerates. Click here to watch the Immelt video.

Another aspect of the NFF’s FootballMatters® campaign is its “I’m A Football Mom” initiative, which was launched last year to highlight the unique perspectives of mothers around the country who believe in the benefits of having their sons and daughters play football. The initiative features a series of videos and stories that are promoted in social media.

All former college football players are encouraged to share their stories with the NFF. If you, or someone you know, played college football and would like to share your story, please email us atFBMatters@footballfoundation.com.