How NFL’s Troy Vincent balances the game’s thrill and safety

The National Football League needs no introduction. Thanks to high-stake media deals and a big push into building a global fanbase, the NFL has built the world’s largest sports league — valued at $163 billion across its 32 teams, according to Forbes. Its lead in the industry is no accident. It’s the result of careful business branding, exclusive sponsorships, expanding the interests of an already massive audience, and adjusting to the changing landscape of the sport.

In the 2023-24 season alone, the NFL partnered with 48 brands, holding top deals with EA Sports (EA), Nike (NKE) and Verizon (VZ), while generating over $11 billion from broadcasters, including Peacock, Amazon (AMZN), and ESPN, according to GlobalData. The 2024 Super Bowl also became the most-watched television program in US history.

However, the NFL wouldn't exist, much less be the powerhouse it is today, without the league’s nearly 1,700 players. Troy Vincent is the one who is looking out for them on the field. As Executive Vice President of Football Operations, Vincent heads player development and oversees new and, at times, risky rules to a game loved and watched by millions, with one goal in mind — building on the success of the NFL through investing in its players.

Before joining the C-suite, Vincent got his start in the NFL with the Miami Dolphins as a rookie cornerback in 1992. But NFL fans know him best from his time playing for the Philadelphia Eagles, where ​​he made five consecutive Pro Bowls.

Yahoo Finance’s Josh Lipton visits the NFL headquarters and is later invited to Vincent’s family home in Purcellville, Virginia to get a closer look at the forces driving Vincent’s leadership and the business behind ‘America’s sport.’

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Video transcript

JOSH LIPTON: The NFL needs no introduction… and neither does Troy Vincent, former Philadelphia Eagles cornerback turned NFL insider. As Executive Vice President of Football Operations in a league of 32 teams - valued at 163 billion dollars - Vincent oversees what's most critical to the game - its rules.

TROY VINCENT: Leadership is lonely. Your compromises of today become your standards of tomorrow.

JOSH LIPTON: Behind the business of America's sport, football operations is tasked with monitoring policies on the field to protect players without damaging the popularity of the game. And Vincent is doing it at a time when the NFL’s coaching and player development are being questioned, even by former quarterback legend, Tom Brady. With the NFL’s commercial success and growing fanbase, there’s a reason why it’s often hailed as one of the country’s greatest unifiers. But there is no NFL without its nearly 1,700 players and Vincent…committed to the athletes and preserving the integrity of the game. Yahoo Finance met with Vincent at the NFL headquarters - in New York City - to get a closer look at the challenges and rewards of heading the operations of the world’s largest sports league.

TROY VINCENT: So Josh, this is where - the Art McNally GameDay Central - is where I probably spend during the season, 98 percent of my time.

JOSH LIPTON: So this is when I hear Aikman, Joe Buck say…

TROY VINCENT: Anytime you hear an announcer, this play is going back to New York, or is being reviewed in New York.

JOSH LIPTON: Right in here.

TROY VINCENT: This is where we’re talking about.

JOSH LIPTON: Let’s go…one thing’s for sure… Vincent is not soft about football, even when running new and, at times, risky policies to a game loved and watched by millions - with one goal in mind - building on the success of the league by investing in its players. You want policies and procedures on the field that are going to protect players, reduce risk. You also, though, want to maintain the spirit of the game that Americans love, which is, listen, it's the pace, it's the energy, it's the aggression, right? How do you kind of think about balancing those goals?

TROY VINCENT: So, I'm in a unique position from my former years as being on the field, as being a, being a participant, playing the game, playing at a high level. And now my current role as a gatekeeper, I'm one of many gatekeepers, but the individual under Commissioner Goodell's leadership to be responsible for Josh. I would say it's the balance of, it's the right integration. It's protecting, preserving the game that Americans and those abroad have come to love. They love points, they love the excitement, they love them. They love these memorable moments while being responsible of protecting players from unnecessary risk. And we have a comprehensive approach to that. I appreciate it's a different game today. I'll start with, it's a different game today. It's a better game for, I think it's a better game today. And it's a much safer game today. Why? The players are more athletic than they've ever, than than we've ever seen. They're bigger, they're faster, they're stronger, they're stronger. The pace is much more fluid, efficient. Great coaching. The players are so athletic, they're skill level was so high. But I come from an era where there were things that we did that I did, personally, things I was taught that really had no place in the game.

JOSH LIPTON: An example?

TROY VINCENT: Like just using the helmet as a weapon, like trying to really inflict harm to your opponent. That was the mentality.

JOSH LIPTON: Before joining the executive team, Vincent got his start in the NFL as a first round pick in the 1992 draft to play with the Miami Dolphins. As a cornerback, he helped the Dolphins reach the AFC Championship game his rookie year, but Vincent really made his mark when he signed with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he made five consecutive Pro Bowls. But, as Vincent says, football was a different game in his time.

TROY VINCENT: There was an era of football that we grew to love, self included, that was just, there was a brutality that was just like, it was acceptable. Now, with science and engineering and research we've seen, it's really about what does life look like? Because a 21 to 22-year-old has no clue of what life looks like or will feel like at the age of 40, 50, or 60. That's our responsibility as legends, as gatekeepers to protect that player from unnecessary risk.

JOSH LIPTON: As Vincent puts it, encouraging player safety while at the same time maintaining the pace and aggression of the game fans love is a careful balancing act. In 2024, the hip-drop tackle was banned after the NFL found injury rates were 25 times higher when a tackler wraps a runner, unweights himself, and traps his opponent's legs. Rule changes have left some fans and players concerned the game has been watered down and is not as exciting as it used to be. According to Sportsbook Review, 82 percent of fans believe rules and penalties should be changed.

TOM BRADY: “I think there's a lot of mediocrity in today's NFL.”

JOSH LIPTON: In 2023, former quarterback Tom Brady didn’t hold back on voicing his concerns with the direction of the league.

TOM BRADY: “The rules have allowed a lot of bad habits to get into the actual performance of the game.”

TROY VINCENT: I respect Tom and Tom has earned that right to voice his opinion, like others. And they should - challenge, hold us accountable as gatekeepers. In Tom's era, the quarterback, you didn't have the majority of the quarterbacks weren't dual threats, pocket passers. We've seen not a handful, you know, when, but when you look at the way the rosters, from your Josh Allens to your Patrick Mahomes, your Lamar Jackson’s, your Russell Wilson’s, these threat quarterbacks, your Justin Fields, these individuals - it's a different era in quarterback play.

JOSH LIPTON: In the offseason, Vincent and the NFL Competition Committee assess what changes need to be made for the next season. And on March 26th, NFL owners approved a new rule that is turning what was called a “dead play” into an integral part of the game again… kickoffs. As opposed to a traditional running start, the kicker will kick off from his 35-yard line and the rest of the kicking team will line up at their opponent’s 40-yard line. The play begins when the ball is either caught or hits the ground in the landing zone. The goal? Create an exciting play with higher returns while also reducing injuries.

TROY VINCENT: It's the space and speed. It's when the player has the ability, and our players are now - they're running 18 to 22 miles an hour when they have that space to build up that kind of speed. And then you make the impact, man, that's not what we want. We all know as fans, when you have an explosive kickoff play, it changes the atmosphere. Not only in the stadium, it changes the momentum of the game. We want to bring those elements back. They should be back.

JOSH LIPTON: The new kickoff model will give return opportunities to players with big-play potential. And the impact was immediate with the Pittsburgh Steelers signing a two-year, six million dollar contract for Cordarrelle Patterson, who had a record nine kickoff return touchdowns during the 2023 season.The new rule even influenced draft-day decisions, the lifeline for keeping the league fresh and competitive, with Texas A&M’s Ainias smith, Penn State’s Daequan Hardy, and University of Texas’s Xavier Worthy - selected for their speed and return capability. On top of athletic performance, player development and coaching are critical in determining whether a rookie will thrive. And Vincent's work with players isn't just about what happens on the field - helping them plan for life after football is just as important.

TROY VINCENT: I was always concerned about the challenges of transition. And players, you know, you go from college and now you spend the next few years - I had the opportunity to play at 15 - a sport that we love - kid’s game, man's body. And you don't have the time to develop some of those skills that you would get in an internship or that you would get in a normal nine to five job. So creating programs or initiatives to allow the player to at least learn some skills around transition or things that he may have interest in. So from our business entrepreneurship programs, broadcast boot camp, and now we're at a different era, like the game has evolved. Players are now being paid in high school. At the collegiate level, the accessibility to information is at their fingertips. Many more entrepreneurs, players wanting to own their own media company. So we've had to adjust what the players' interests are based off of where they are. Some of them are coming into the league as rookies, financially stable. Financial literacy being taught at the high school collegiate level is different. So that is something that's dear to my heart personally, is making sure that - working with the players association, working with the clubs that we're all in alignment with player transition. It’s going to happen. The inevitable is going to happen. And oftentimes that transition happens not by your choice. And are you ready? And do you have the skills to transition into what we say, ‘the new normal’?

JOSH LIPTON: Football is even bigger than the game itself. The NFL adds 5 billion dollars to the US economy every year. And the 2024 super bowl became the most watched television program in US history. Its dominance is no accident. It's the result of strategic media deals and exclusive sponsorships. Last season alone, the NFL was partnered with 48 brands, holding top deals with EA sports, Nike and Verizon, while generating over 11 billion dollars from broadcasters, including Peacock, Amazon, and ESPN. It’s more than just a pastime - it’s become a cultural phenomenon bringing together millions of fans - even when the country feels most divided. As Executive Vice President, Vincent says it’s a tremendous responsibility to support the league’s powerhouse operations, but also a shared one.

TROY VINCENT: We're working together to try to come together to win a football game and, and create some excitement. I hope your lips to God's ears, that the game can continue to be a positive force for just people coming together, cheering for their club, cheering for their favorite players at the same time. It's a delicate balance, a delicate integration of things that we believe that are important for the player, important for the club that we come together to try to resolve those things together. It's not always perfect and there is disruption that occurs, but we understand the platform that the National Football League has on the broader society.

JOSH LIPTON: A platform that goes well beyond revenue and profits and taps into the inspiration and drive that not only got Vincent into the league, but got him to where he is today.

TROY VINCENT: I believe everything that I've learned in my current role are attributes and things that I learned in athletics. What you did on Sundays, Mondays, and Thursdays, and how you showed up on game day was a reflection of what you did during the week. If you didn't practice, if you didn't detail your work, if you lacked in on preparation with video review, game preparation, it showed up on Sunday. It showed up on Monday night and Thursday night. So paying attention to detail, falling in love with the basics every single day - following this process, prepares you to have success when the lights are on. But going from the playing field to the boardroom, those same skills were natural transitions in the corporate area. Being a good listener. Being a good communicator, not trying to be the loudest voice or the most talkative voice in the room. Being a collaborator, being a partner, showing up every day. Where I began, I didn't know what a leader was. My own personal experience of - how do you influence, how do you show up the same all the time? How do you get an individual or a team of folks to believe in what you're saying? Kind of galvanize all towards one common goal? Initially - performance in the world of sport. When you performed, oftentimes that kind of evolved you to a leadership level by producing on the field. But then as I matured, there was a parallel of on-field performance with literally what the impact you were making on decisions that were not on the field, whether they were in the community or inside the locker room, being a locker room leader around areas of the collective bargaining agreement, hours, wages, working conditions, and player rights, family rights. Now being mature in my current role, 15 years here now at the National Football League, it's really about people and getting people to believe in what your objectives are, what your goals are, and why is important for them to at least hear what you're saying and buy into moving in that same direction.