What’s the best career option for an ex-NFL player? Coaching seems like a fairly decent option, as does just generally working on a team’s staff or as a scout. Some go on to work for the NFL itself, and some end up working in broadcasting. Aside from starting a new career fairly late in their life, there isn’t much preventing an ex-NFL player from going on to a different industry, either. A good chunk of those players graduated from college before heading into the league. Dustin Lyman, for example, went from being a tight end with the Chicago Bears to the general manager of Copper Mountain.
Dustin Lyman was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round of the 2000 NFL Draft (Tom Brady was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round of the 2000 NFL Draft). He played there for five seasons, but he didn’t stick the NFL following his retirement. Instead, Lyman headed towards an executive career.
According to Vail Daily, Lyman began working in financial services during the day while taking master’s-level business strategy classes at the University of Chicago at night. Eventually, he found a job in corporate finance at Vail Resorts, but he left the ski industry to work for Famous Brands International. He eventually became their chief executive officer, where he would remain for a few years.
In 2018, Lyman took on the job of general manager at Copper Mountain, where he remains today. When he began his work there, he noted a need to keep the culture as is, rather than damage the Copper experience for the sake of a bottom line.
“We are willing to take as much time as needed to maintain and grow that authenticity. And Powdr [Corporation] is not determined to maximize the bottom line as quickly as possible — because there are levers we could pull to do that that would erode what makes the culture here at Copper so special.” – Dustin Lyman
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Image Credit: Copper Mountain via Facebook