NFL players get schooled by members of Congress

A group of former and current National Football League players got some first-hand advice from members of Congress on Tuesday as part of a business school curriculum.

The pigskin pros — including former Tennessee Titan Keith Bulluck and former Houston Texans lineman Chester Pitts, among others — are students of The George Washington University School of Business’s “STAR EMBA” program, which helps athletes and celebrities earn an MBA.

“Our careers on the NFL are not a long-term deal,” Stephon Heyer, a former offensive tackle for the Washington Redskins, told ITK. “Getting into the business world is something that I am interested in, and a lot of the other guys are as well.”

While the players may be used to tackling opponents and throwing passes, during their congressional field trip they were seen raising their hands while getting tips from lawmakers, including Reps. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Raul Ruiz (D-Calif.) and Pete Olson (R-Texas).

Gabbard said speaking to the band of NFL athletes was an opportunity to show them “their fame is a way to connect with people and inspire them so that they in turn are motivated to step up and make a difference in their own communities.”

Ruiz described what inspired him to seek public office, saying, “My drive was my community. My drive was looking at the problems that I grew up in. My drive was knowing that a lot of people couldn’t walk the streets with dignity because they didn’t have enough to buy decent clothes or they had to go without food.”

But the congressman admitted he’s not exactly a football fanatic. When asked what his favorite NFL team is, he replied, “I’m more a baseball fan, but my favorite football team would have to be the [Oakland] Raiders.”