Jeff Siemon on Viking Football

Our program on September 2^nd was presented by Jeff Siemon. Jeff is a retired Viking player, and a resident of Edina.

He told of being raised in Bakersfield, California, which was a football center, and playing his college football in the west. He was drafted 10^th in the draft by the Vikings, and played his career with them. He spoke of the money earned by players, and said that it wasn’t a golden path when he started. He was paid a (now) small five figure salary his first years. There were no million dollar salaries in his times.

 

He was asked about some of the personal problems faced by today’s players, and he said that the NFL is not into character building, and that the players come into the league with whatever personal ethics they have, and there is no program set up by the league or the teams to help the players adjust to their new wealth or fame. Most of the players have no plans for “after football” – when the can no longer play the game, what are they going to do? The question, “Who am I now?” is one they are not prepared to answer.

 

Jeff has a master’s degree, and is active in the field of theology, and is a member of Grace Church.