Warren Sapp, a retired defensive tackle for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and a current NFL Network analyst, announced Mississippi State cornerback Jonathan Banks as the Bucs 2nd round pick in this past weekend’s NFL draft. Sapp was drafted by the Bucs in the 1995 NFL Draft as the 12th overall pick. He spent nine seasons in Tampa, making seven trips to the Pro Bowl and winning one Super Bowl title. He finished his career with the Oakland Raiders.
In the past for many football players, once their playing careers ended, they no longer had a way to stay involved with the game. Sure, some would go onto coaching or front-office positions, but the majority would have to get a “real” job and start a new career.
With the explosion of the NFL’s popularity and the continued growth of cable tv, many players are starting to pursuit broadcasting careers. There have always been broadcasting opportunities for a small number of former players such as Don Meredith and Frank Gifford, but the number of opportunities today is what makes a second career in broadcasting a viable option. (more…)