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4w ago

Collin Johnson Retires From NFL to Enroll at MIT Sloan for MBA

It represents a deliberate pivot from pro football to formal business training to scale an accelerator for athlete founders.

Oct 11, 2025; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois Fighting Illini tight end Tanner Arkin (85) and Illinois Fighting Illini wide receiver Collin Dixon (17) react after a touchdown during the second half against the Ohio State Buckeyes at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
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An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows New York Giants wide receiver Collin Johnson (15) when the New York Giants practiced as part of Giants Training Camp Tuesday, August 22, 2023 at Quest Diagnostics Training Center in East Rutherford, NJ. , Image 2 shows New York Giants wide receiver Collin Johnson (15) looks on with safety Jason Pinnock (27) during camp at the Quest Diagnostics Center, Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, in East Rutherford, NJ.
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Overview

  • Johnson announced his retirement and MIT Sloan enrollment on Thursday, saying he will begin the MBA program this fall.
  • He will expand his company Beyond-Sports by launching Founders Academy in partnership with MITdesignX to help current and former athletes build real businesses.
  • Johnson played four NFL seasons after being a fifth-round pick in 2020, appearing in 38 games with stops in Jacksonville, New York and Chicago and most recently attending Raiders camp in 2025.
  • He prepared for the shift with executive study at Harvard Business School in June 2025, a step he cites as part of a planned move into entrepreneurship and management.
  • The change highlights a growing trend of athletes seeking formal business training and could boost the number of athlete-led startups by combining MITdesignX resources with athlete networks.