Football
- Title:
- Director of Player Development & High School Relations
- Email:
- rphifer@athletics.ucla.edu
UCLA and NFL great Roman Phifer joined the Bruin staff in June 2016 as the Director of Player Development. In his present role, Roman oversees, monitors and assists with all aspects of day to day player welfare and life skills. Roman works closely with the Academic staff to monitor scholastic progress and also serves as the primary facilitator for all Bruin Football community outreach.
Through the UCLA Football “Player Enrichment Program” Roman had developed a comprehensive curriculum that guides, educates and impacts Bruin football players in life outside of football. With a goal and passion to expose and prepare the young men on the Bruin football team for the many hurdles they will experience both during and after their athletic careers have finished, Phifer facilitates a program that includes a number of avenues to engage players, including- outside speaker series, workshops, community outreach and networking in topics as varied as interview and draft preparation, financial literacy and drug and alcohol abuse avoidance.
Phifer draws heavily on his own experience and exposure to educate and inform the Bruin Football student-athletes. During his playing career at UCLA, Roman was an All-American defensive player before he was drafted by the LA Rams with the 31st pick of the 1991 NFL Draft. Roman had a prolific NFL career, playing for 15 years with the Rams, Jets, Patriots and Giants. While playing for the New England Patriots, Roman’s stellar on-field play and off-field leadership contributed to three Super Bowl victories.
During Phifer’s time in the NFL, he was selected as a Pro Bowl alternate four times and was the Rams “Ed Block Courage Award” winner, an honor bestowed to the player and selected by his teammates that “exemplifies commitment to the principles of sportsmanship and courage”.
Following his playing career, Roman served as the Assistant Linebackers Coach for the Denver Broncos. Since his retirement from playing, Roman has worked extensively in educating and advocating for the welfare of players in life after football.
