Why Football Veteran and Broadcaster Brady Quinn Is Pursuing his MBA at Babson
On weekends, you can catch him on television previewing a Saturday college football slate or calling NFL games as a color commentator. Weekday afternoons and evenings? He’s hosting a sports radio show, watching game film, or doing analyst work for CBS Sports HQ.
Everywhere else, when he’s not dropping his daughters off at school or pursuing his hobby of health and wellness, former Notre Dame star quarterback and NFL veteran Brady Quinn is working toward his MBA degree at Babson College.
“It’s been a great experience so far,” Quinn said. “There’s a few things that make it possible. Their program, and the way they’re able to run it, but also the faculty and the communication.”
NFL Turned MBA
You could say Quinn’s career path has been entrepreneurial. After a pro football career that spanned parts of eight seasons with five franchises in the NFL, Quinn pivoted onto the airwaves and television screens in national viewing slots throughout the fall.
“I really wasn’t planning on jumping into broadcasting, (but) the past five years have been a fun, surprising ride,” said Quinn, who twice finished in the top four in voting for the Heisman Trophy, the most prestigious award in college football, while attending Notre Dame.
Babson’s entrepreneurial MBA program appealed to Quinn for its ability to allow him to continue his college football and NFL analyst career while positioning him for a future of possibilities.
“How Babson views the need for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial leadership,” he said, “that was one of the biggest things.”
Quinn’s Babson experience began earlier this summer. With a background in finance and political science, classes such as finance with Associate Professor Jerome Taillard offered a helpful rejuvenation, while Edward Marram and Leslie Charm, both senior lecturers, taught him the ins and outs of growing a business.
“Those guys have an incredible wealth of knowledge, and are a ton of fun to speak to and listen to,” Quinn said. “It’s been a breath of fresh air and is very welcome at this time of my life. Faculty in large part has been fantastic.”
Learning About Leadership Values
The recent visit to Babson College by Arthur M. Blank ’63, H’98 was broadcast to hundreds through the form of two panels on values-based leadership.
In what he described as a moment of career intersection, Quinn had the chance to listen and learn about the core values that helped Blank scale The Home Depot, and grow the professional sports franchises that are the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and MLS’ Atlanta United FC.
“How Babson views the need for entrepreneurs and entrepreneurial leadership, that was one of the biggest things. The faculty in large part have been fantastic, it’s been a great experience so far.”
Brady Quinn, MBA candidate
“I’ve spoken with him a number of times through work, that was kind of where the worlds collided for me,” Quinn said. “There’s legitimate folks and alumni from Babson who have done a tremendous job, and are leaders in their space from an entrepreneur’s standpoint.”
Down the road, Quinn has ambitions to potentially own a commercial real estate fund. But, like all entrepreneurial leaders, he’s ready to react on the fly.
“I try to be an opportunist, I’m not sure what opportunities will present themselves,” Quinn said. “This world is changing and moving as fast as it ever has.”
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