Friday September 22, 2023
The Best Employers in Sports Survey is Now Open!

Stanback Building Strong Business Foundation Following NFL

  • Following six surgeries in five seasons, Isaiah Stanback has also built his post-NFL career in the gym.
  • Beyond his fitness studio, speaking engagements and an XFL front office job have also come calling.
Isaiah Stanback fitness
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports
Front Office Sports Today

How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever

As he steps down as chair of Fox and News Corp., we discuss his monumental and ongoing impact.
Listen Now
September 22, 2023 | Podcast
Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied
Isaiah Stanback fitness
Photo Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

During his NFL career, Isaiah Stanback made it a point to talk to team support and business staff as much as possible.

Stanback played parts of four seasons in the NFL – with stints on five teams from 2007 to 2012 – and knew his time as a wide receiver was likely to be short. So when he had the opportunity, he’d chat with those around sports to see where he might be able to take his life after football.

Just as he felt he was close to signing “the big contract” with the Seattle Seahawks, he tore his Achilles tendon in 2010. Altogether he needed six surgeries in his five seasons trying to play professional football.

“It was that realization I’m not going to get the big contract,” Stanback said. “I want to start on phase two.”

He kept playing a couple of years, sticking on the Jacksonville Jaguars for the end of the 2012 season before hanging up the cleats. As he closed out his NFL career, Stanback pursued his MBA at George Washington University – he played at the University of Washington during college – and is now balancing multiple jobs, from running SteadFast Fitness & Performance to his job as manager of community engagement for the XFL’s Dallas Renegades.

Stanback kicked off his post-NFL career by opening the Steadfast Fitness & Performance in the Dallas area, which he said took about six months to get off the ground. He said the 1,500-square-foot studio was in the black the first year. Following year three, the studio moved seven miles away into a 14,000-square-foot facility, while retaining most of the clients while also growing staff and revenue.

Stanback will host a workout at the Fitness Football Fantasy health and fitness event on February 1, 2020, in Miami, before Super Bowl LIV.

While a fitness studio is a business he likely could expand, Stanback said because personal training and performance studios are always changing and require ever-changing expertise, it’d be hard to have quality control over more than one location.

“As a former professional athlete, there’s pros and cons. On the pros, on a parental level, you’re already a trusted source and have instant credibility for training teens,” he said. “On the downside, working with different programs and teams, you’re sometimes viewed as a threat to the coaches and if they have ego problems, they’re not comfortable with themselves and they don’t want to think they’re looked down upon by their athletes.”

“But we’re here to help.”

Beyond the studio, Stanback is launching a business under the same umbrella: a mobile recovery station. He’s hopeful it will be a franchise model that will take off as people become more attuned to recovery and how it affects fitness. The idea is to hit sporting events like marathons and soccer tournaments.

While his fitness career is continuing to build, in January 2019, Stanback told himself he’d step outside of his comfort zone. In doing so, he started speaking, particularly about voting and equality initiatives.

Recently, Stanback was the featured wellness speaker at the Latina Small Business Expo in New Jersey and a guest speaker at the RISE to Vote event at the University of Northern Iowa on November 12.

READ MORE: Marques Ogden Speaks From Experience Falling From the Top

Then the XFL opportunity presented itself, which he jumped at.

“Some people don’t know how it will go, but it’s an opportunity to build something that others will follow,” he said. “It also gives me a chance to gain some experience in the corporate world, which most people don’t think I have, so it’s an opportunity to prove them wrong.”

“I’m never satisfied and I’m always appreciative of the moment but trying to challenge myself like I did in sports and do everything I can to separate myself.”

READ MORE: After Injuries Derailed NFL Career, Linebacker Starts ZoneIn CBD

Stanback worked hard to build a web of real relationships with people he met in college and his time in the NFL. He was careful to foster those friendships and not abuse them.

“The problem most people make is they only call upon someone in their network when they need something,” Stanback said. “The biggest thing is just checking in. Just be genuine and have those genuine relationships. It’s one thing to have a bunch of contacts, it’s another to have a true network.”

“When I was ready, they were willing to help because I wasn’t always asking.”

Linkedin
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Fanatics is buying auction marketplace PWCC.

Fanatics Nabbing WWE Rights In Latest Win Over Panini

Fanatics will take over WWE's trading card rights.
RFK

RFK Stadium Bill Advances in Congress

Congress' vote is the first step towards returning the NFL to D.C.

Can Amazon Keep Up NFL Viewership Boost After Record Week 1?

The San Francisco 49ers and New York Giants face off on Thursday night.
Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott is tripped up by New York Jets defensive end Solomon Thomas in the second quarter at AT&T Stadium.

NFL Viewership Sees 2% Increase in First Two Weeks of 2023 Season

The NFL is experiencing its highest viewership since 2018.
podcast thumbnail mobile
Front Office Sports Today

How Rupert Murdoch Changed Sports Media Forever

0:00
0:00

Featured Today

Warriors Stake Reportedly Up For Sale at $7B Valuation

A 10% stake in the franchise could cost $700 million.
September 22, 2023

Jaguars Threaten Move Without $1B From Jacksonville Taxpayers

The Jagaurs are hoping to renovate TIAA Bank Field for $2 billion.
Deion Sanders on College GameDay
September 22, 2023

ESPN Beats Rival Fox in Deion Sanders Bowl

ESPN’s “College GameDay” more than doubled the audience of Fox’s “Big Noon Kickoff” in Boulder.
Stacy Lewis tees off on the seventeenth hole during the first round of the CPKC Women's Open golf tournament at Shaughnessy Golf & Country Club.
September 22, 2023

In Ryder Cup’s Shadow, Solheim Cup Captain Laments ‘Missed Opportunity’

U.S. captain Stacy Lewis criticized the lack of cross-promotion and marketing.

Careers

Powered By

Careers in Sports

Looking for a new job? Check out these featured listings and search for openings all over the world.
Chicago Cubs
Chicago
Fanatics
New York
Tri Star Sports and Entertainment Group, Inc.
USA - Multiple Locations
Eli-Manning-New-York-Giants

Eli Manning: Keep MetLife Field Turf

Eli Manning feels that MetLife Stadium should keep its artificial turf field.
Joe Burrow’s $275 million deal makes him the league’s highest-paid player, with an average annual salary of $55 million per year.
September 11, 2023

The 10 Highest-Paid NFL Quarterbacks

Burrow's $275M extension is second to Patrick Mahomes' Chiefs deal.
Travis Kelce
September 7, 2023

Travis Kelce Talks Positional Values, Players Sports Betting Ahead of NFL Season

Kelce says tight ends should be paid off of production metrics.
Ravens QB Lamar Jackson is by far the NFL's highest paid player for this season.
September 7, 2023

The 25 Highest-Paid NFL Players for 2023

Lamar Jackson will make almost double the second-highest paid player.
September 6, 2023

Mahomes Creating New Model For Athlete Investments

Two-time champion building extensive sports investment portfolio
Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Haason Reddick (7) against the Kansas City Chiefs during Super Bowl LVII at State Farm Stadium.
September 6, 2023

Reddick: Inside Linebacker Pay Going In ‘Right Direction’

Haason Reddick is glad that inside linebackers are hitting new salary heights.
August 31, 2023

Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Sports Empire Is Only Getting Bigger

NBA superstar's investment in TGL team expands business portfolio
Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers have invested in LAGC, the TGL golf team owned by the Williams sisters and Alexis Ohanian.
August 30, 2023

Giannis Antetokounmpo Invests in TGL’s Los Angeles Golf Club

LAGC is owned by Alexis Ohanian, Serena, and Venus Williams.