The Future is Bright for Former Elite Athletes

LOS ANGELES – NFL Veteran and CEO Jelani Jenkins, Founder, an ecosystem that is built to cultivate, reignite and empower an athlete community that is in need of support, is proud to introduce their new direction of their startup Postseason, Inc. 

“I found my passion through navigating my own mental health struggles. After dedicating 15 years of my life to mastering the linebacker position, I felt lost and frustrated not knowing where to put my energy.” said Jelani Jenkins, NFL Veteran and CEO Jelani Jenkins, Founder, “My vision is to empower all athletes to be fit for life after sports”

Postseason, Inc. launched its online athlete empowerment platform in 2021, and since then has capitalized on its growing digital and physical community. After speaking to hundreds of elite athletes about their transition out of sports, they have identified three major problems that they face such as isolation, loss of support, and loss of competition. Their platform aims to recreate the support system that exists within elite athletes organizations to help facilitate a seamless transition to the next phase of life. 

Elite-Athletes spend most of their lives mastering a craft and their careers are often cut short. This leaves a major void and creates a need for targeted personal and professional development beyond the game. There are about 460,000 collegiate athletes who compete every year in the US, and only 2% will play professionally. That is 440,000 collegiate athletes and 110,000 seniors a year ending their careers. Recent studies revealed that: 

• 70% of student-athletes' families expected them to be a college athlete growing up

• 30% of student-athletes' families expected them to become a professional or an olympian

• 34% of current elite athletes & 26% of former elite athletes suffer from anxiety and depression

• 32% of professional athletes have careers that last less than 1 year. 28% lasting 1-2 years

• 78% will go broke after 3 years of retirement.

Postseason has positioned itself as the first of its kind. Their web-based and mobile application aims to create the first peer-to-peer network exclusively for former athletes to connect, grow, and nurture meaningful relationships beyond sports. Their platform will provide the ability to access educational content, mentors and wellness resources, while establishing connections with other athletes who are on similar journeys. In order to ensure that the athlete is put first in every step they take, Postseason is leveraging their team of principals and advisors made up of other former athletes that are working alongside NFL Vet to create a safe space and product for these athletes.

Postseason is currently in its initial pilot phase, with a focus on community building, providing access to carefully curated mentors, wellness resources and is seeking seed funding from engaged investors.  For media inquiries or more information, please contact Head of Growth at frances@postseasonapp.com.  They were recently named a finalist in the Startup Showdown LA, which will take place during the Los Angeles Sports Council Innovation Conference on November 9th. Five finalists will be selected to compete on stage in front of a panel of guest investor judges for a chance to win a $120,000 investment prize, in front of a live audience. 

NFL Vet and CEO Jelani Jenkins Postseason Founder, will be presenting at EnableHealth’s HealthSportsTech Summit at Well by HLTH at the Venetian in Las Vegas on November 16, 2022.

For interview opportunities  and questions please contact:

Frances Garcia, Chief Growth Officer/Athlete Relations & Communications

Email: frances@postseasonapp.com