Troy Vincent

Troy Darnell Vincent (born June 8, 1970) is a former American football cornerback for the Miami Dolphins, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills and Washington Redskins of the National Football League (NFL). He was drafted by the Dolphins with the 7th overall pick in the 1992 NFL Draft. He played college football for Wisconsin.

Vincent is currently the Vice President of the NFL Player Engagement Organization, formerly the NFL Player Development Organization, a position he was named to in February 2010.

He was the president of the NFLPA, the Sporting News's #1 Good Guy in 2003, a Team Captain the last 13 seasons of his 15 year career. On September 28, 2011, Vincent was named as one of the Preliminary Nominees for the NFL Hall Of Fame Class of 2012.

Miami Dolphins
Vincent was drafted by the Miami Dolphins out of the University of Wisconsin–Madison with the seventh pick in the first round of the 1992 NFL Draft. He spent four seasons with the Dolphins.

Philadelphia Eagles
Vincent signed with the Philadelphia Eagles in 1996, where he spent eight more seasons. Vincent made five consecutive Pro Bowls from 1999 to 2003. In 2002 Vincent was the recipient of the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. In 2007 Vincent was named to the Philadelphia Eagles 75th Anniversary Team. Vincent announced the Philadelphia Eagles 2nd Round Draft Pick at the 2011 NFL Draft.

Buffalo Bills
Prior to the 2004 NFL season, Vincent signed a free agent contract with the Buffalo Bills with the departure of cornerback Antoine Winfield. Vincent played one year as a cornerback, which he had played all his career, but also played free safety until he suffered a knee injury and was replaced by Terrence McGee. He had 51 interceptions in his career.

Washington Redskins
Vincent was slated to miss the 2006 season after suffering a hamstring injury and being placed on injured reserve on September 13, but the Bills released Vincent on October 12, allowing him to seek offers from other teams. He was signed on October 16 by the Washington Redskins. Vincent had perhaps the greatest game of his Washington career on November 5, 2006, against rival Dallas Cowboys, recording six tackles and a crucial blocked 35-yard field goal attempt by kicker Mike Vanderjagt as time expired. The block, along with a 15-yard facemask penalty, allowed the Redskins to return the ball into field goal range for kicker Nick Novak and win the game 22-19 with no time remaining resulting in the "Hand of God" game. On February 22, 2007, the Redskins released Vincent.

President of the NFLPA
Vincent was president of the NFL Players Association. Vincent's term as President of the NFLPA expired on March 18, 2008 and he was replaced by Kevin Mawae. On February 26, 2009 the Players Association announced that they were investigating whether during his tenure as president Vincent disclosed confidential personal and financial information about a number of player agents. It is alleged that Vincent emailed this information to his longtime business partner Mark Magnum for the benefit of a financial services firm co-owned by the two men. However, the AP uncovered no evidence to support the contention that Vincent, by forwarding an NFLPA e-mail to his business partner, used agents' personal information to build his financial services company.

Vice President of NFL Player Engagement
Troy Vincent was selected as the Vice President of Active Player Development in February 2010. The NFL Players Development organization was renamed the NFL Player Engagement Organization in 2011.

NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program
While playing for the Buffalo Bills, Vincent approached the Wharton School with a novel idea to create a program to help fellow players understand that there was going to be a life after football, and that it was a life for which they needed to prepare. This vision materialized with the formation of the NFL Business Management and Entrepreneurial Program, which over the years has educated many NFL players about starting a business, investing and managing money. As the 2011 NFL Draft takes place, Jason Wingard of the New York Daily News, spoke to Vincent’s vision and the need for those entering the NFL to be prepared for what comes after their last game on the field has been played.

Community involvement and philanthropic efforts
He has served on numerous boards over his career and serves on the Board of Directors for the University of Wisconsin Foundation, and the State of New Jersey After 3 Program. Vincent became the first active NFL player to serve on the National Board of Directors for Pop Warner Little Scholars Football. On March, 6, 2012, Troy Vincent was honored with a 2012 Jefferson Award for outstanding public service by an athlete.

He and his family founded Love Thy Neighbor Community Development and Opportunity Corporation, a not-for-profit organization. Troy is recognized for his Philanthropic efforts to build community and increase the overall well-being of humanity. Mr. Vincent partnered with Feed The Children to help families in need over the 2010 holiday season. His efforts resulted in Feed The Children supplying one semi tractor-trailer full of food and essentials to Trenton on Wednesday, December 22, 2010. Each identified family was provided with a 25-pound box of food, a 10-pound box of essentials and a box of Avon products designed to help a family for a week. The truck distribution was one of the stops on Feed The Children’s Americans Feeding Americans Caravan, which has helped nearly 200,000 American and military families across the country in cities that have been affected by the nation’s economic downturn in 2010.

Vincent returned to one of the communities he grew up in; the Pennsbury School District in Fallsington, Pennsylvania Pennsbury School District. His visit was in support of the Fuel Up To Play 60 program at Edgewood Elementary School. During this visit, Vincent spent time with the students, teachers, and parents. The NFL and the Players Association, along with the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association, were co-sponsors of Fuel Up To Play 60, which is an accelerated recess program that seeks to get kids to exercise at least 60 minutes a day and teaches kids to consume the proper food and beverages before stepping on to the field of play.