Former NFL player offers off-the-field career support for pros

Muneer Moore, ’00, is the only former NFL player in his role at the NFL Players Association. Drafted by both the Denver Broncos and the New York Jets, he now works as the NFLPA’s senior player services manager, helping active and former players monetize their images off the field through advertising and licensing partnerships.

In addition to pursuing a dual degree in economics and sociology, Moore started more than 40 games as a Spider. Although it wasn’t his goal to go pro, he says it was “icing on the cake” of a great college experience that “springboarded” him into his career.

When a hamstring injury halted Moore’s two-season NFL playing career, it was his former Richmond coach, Jim Reid, who suggested he take the field in a new capacity. In 2003, Moore returned to campus and spent two years shaping the next generation of Spider tight ends and wide receivers as a coach.

Looking back, Moore says his experience as both player and coach was key to becoming the services manager he is today. “When you’re a player, you focus on execution, not necessarily strategy. But when you’re a coach, you’re focused on strategy and making sure your players execute,” he says.

These merged perspectives gave him a strong foundation of work ethic and leadership skills — which he now employs with both the colleagues he oversees and the players he supports at the NFLPA. Plus, “I’m able to speak with a lot of the players because I’ve been in their position,” he says.

Now, Moore says he looks forward to the moments that tie all these experiences together, such as supporting a fellow Spider who turned pro or collaborating with a former teammate. “It just brings that smile to your face,” he says. “I played with them, and now I’m working alongside them. … It’s just amazing to see how it’s [gone] full circle.”