*SPKN EXCLUSIVE* The Athlete Identity Trap: Navigating self-concept and mental health in extended NFL career pursuits
By: Dr. Brandy Runyan
This study explored the persistence of undrafted football players who continue to pursue National Football League (NFL) careers five or more years beyond their draft class. Despite systemic barriers and long odds, these athletes remain deeply committed to training, competing, and promoting themselves in pursuit of their professional goals. Guided by goal-setting theory, self-determination theory, and the constructs of resilience and grit, a qualitative phenomenological design was used to capture the lived experiences of 20 undrafted players across the United States. Semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically, revealing six core themes—four of which, motivation and purpose, support systems, resilience and grit, and identity and growth, aligned closely with the study’s theoretical framework. Results indicated that persistence is maintained through the interplay of intrinsic motivation, long-term goal orientation, and the integration of athletic identity with broader life purpose. Social support systems reinforced these processes, serving as external motivators that evolved into internalized drive. The study concludes with a conceptual model of persistence, offering a framework for understanding long-term goal pursuit in high-attrition environments such as professional sport, performing arts, entrepreneurship, military service, and first response.
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