Programs have been created for players to maximize both work productivity and overall life satisfaction and minimize off-the-field distractions, including the Players Assistance Program, Life Skills Seminars and Coping Skills/Educational Workshops.

Players Assistance Program

Players Assistance Program: The Players Assistance Program offers players resources to develop skills to cope with the work/life environment associated with personal stressors that can come with a career in the NFL. To broaden understanding of the utility of counseling to include prevention and life skills acquisition/development and encourage its use, the program offers players (dependents, couples, and/or families) four confidential no-cost meetings with special counselors in each team city who have been approved by the league, clubs and the Players Association.

Life Skills Seminars: "Choices, Decisions and Consequences" is the ongoing theme of Life Skills training and awareness seminars conducted for all active and practice squad players throughout the year. These interactive workshops are designed to assist players to recognize the skills that must be developed to help them manage various off-the-field situations, and to proactively address issues that may arise during their career. Topics covered include: domestic and children issues, conflict resolution, frustration, social pressures and other pressures associated with being in the league. The workshops challenge players to use their resources and to think and manage their lives more effectively.

Life Skills sessions are included in Rookie Symposium, which is the league orientation program for drafted rookies. The sessions help young players to recognize the off-the-field challenges that life as a professional football player may bring and teaches them ways such challenges can be successfully handled.

Coping Skills/Educational Workshops: In order to reinforce the skills introduced during the yearly Life Skills Seminars, Player Development Directors are encouraged to conduct periodic Coping Skills Workshops to help players learn methods of coping with the unique set of issues that accompanies life in the NFL such as transitions, injury, illness, setbacks, coaching changes and long-distance relationships. Examples of topics include time management, stress management, assertive communication, impulse control and emotion management.