An Open Tryout
Vince Papale has the best underdog story in NFL history.
In 1976 after multiple unsuccessful seasons, the Philadelphia Eagles fired their head coach and hired Dick Vermeil. One of Vermeil’s first decisions as head coach was a bold one – a citywide open tryout for the Eagles. At the time, Vince was working as a part-time bartender, nightclub doorman, and substitute teacher during a leave of absence from teaching at Interboro High School.
Pre-NFL Career
When he was a student at Interboro, Vince earned varsity letters in football, basketball, and track. However, he excelled at pole vaulting which got him his full scholarship to Saint Joseph’s University, which did not have a football team.
After graduating from Saint Joseph’s in 1968 with a business degree, Vince went back to his alma mater, Interboro, teaching and coaching there for 6 years. He began working on his master’s degree in Secondary Counseling at West Chester State Teachers College and figured he would retire after a career in education. However, football was Vince’s passion. Eventually in 1975, he successfully tried out for the Philadelphia Bell of the World Football League as a wide receiver, necessitating his leave of absence from Interboro. In fact, Vince caught the first pass in the history of the World Football League. Then in 1976, the opportunity of his lifetime came – an open tryout with the Philadelphia Eagles.
Philadelphia Eagles
Vince made the team and became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL. He played four seasons with the Eagles and was voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates before a shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. Vince was also commended by his teammates off the field, earning the Eagles’ 1978 Man of the Year honors for his charitable activities.
Post-NFL Career
After retiring with the Eagles following the 1979 season, Vince worked as a TV and radio broadcaster for 8 years. He then entered the world of commercial mortgage banking becoming Marketing Executive & Special Projects Director for Sallie Mae. In 2006, a movie about Vince, Invincible, was released by Walt Disney Pictures. Today, the film still endures as a fan favorite nearly 20 years later. Now, Vince Papale is an applauded keynote and motivational speaker.
Hire Vince Papale
Vince is a great keynote speaker for any engagement. His story goes well beyond sports, offering lessons about resilience that fit every audience. Not many people have the opportunity to play in the NFL, and even fewer have a movie based on their life story.
Vince uses the twists and turns of his life not only to entertain sports fans but to inspire corporate audiences to live in the moment. There is so much more to Vince’s story than can fit in his bio including his mother’s mental health issues, the bullying he endured early in his NFL career, the business lessons he learned at Sallie Mae, and his battle with cancer. Ultimately, Vince’s story and the lessons he imparts in his keynote can help anyone become just as invincible as he has.
