NFL Vet Brandon Copeland’s Playbook For Smart Money Moves
NFL Vet Brandon Copeland Is Teaching The Playbook For Financial Freedom
Brandon Copeland’s story is one of hustle, heart, and giving back. From the NFL to the Ivy League, he’s built a legacy bigger than football. Today, he’s on a mission to champion financial literacy—helping everyone from working families to student athletes make confident money moves and protect their futures.
The NFL veteran sat down with CassiusLife to reflect on his journey and how it inspired the work he’s doing today to help others attain financial freedom.
“My grandfather was my hero.”
Copeland’s success both on and off the field has had everything to do with the family values that shaped his mindset early on.
Raised under the wing of his grandfather, NFL veteran and Super Bowl champion, Roy Hilton, young “Cope” absorbed a lifetime of lessons from the man he regarded as his teacher and role model—someone who “had a heart of gold and was a great example of how you show up for family.”
Hilton’s remarkable life story gave Copeland the perspective to dream without limits. Despite suffering horrific abuse and running away at 13, his grandfather refused to quit. “I think about a Black boy running away in Mississippi—it’s just crazy to think about,” Copeland said. “However, he still finds a way to persevere. He was relentless in spirit, relentless in his pursuit of—frankly—survival.”
Hilton attended Utica Junior College, then Jackson State. In 1965, he was drafted by the Baltimore Colts and went on to play 11 seasons in the NFL. “Ultimately, what that meant to me as a young kid was: if this man—this boy—could overcome all that and turn into a man that became my hero, I have no excuse not to try, not to give it my all, not to do whatever I want in this world,” Copeland said.
“If we want something, go get it. There is no excuse necessary.”
Hilton’s impact on his grandson went beyond football, guiding him both in business and in life. He’d watch from the sidelines as Copeland played through high school and college. “After every game, regardless of how it went, his first question was always, ‘Did you have fun?’”
By the time Copeland reached the NFL himself, where his livelihood hinged on his performance on the field, he carried his grandfather’s advice with him every step of the way. “He would offer to coach me up on a technique or two,” which seemed simple at the time, but proved priceless. “Little things like that helped my career last for as long as it did,” Copeland said.
“You’re one play away from it all being taken.”
In the pros, navigating million-dollar deals was a crash course in personal finance. Copeland quickly learned that being smart with his money was just as critical as his play on the field. Nothing in the League was guaranteed—injuries, cuts, and trades could end his career in a heartbeat. “I understood how quickly the whole thing could end, and realized that you should never count money until it actually hits your bank account,” he said.
After graduating from the prestigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, Copeland signed with his hometown team, the Baltimore Ravens. At the time, the three-year $1.45 million contract sounded like a fortune. “Fortunately, I understood how NFL contracts worked,” he said. “It wasn’t real money, per se. You gotta make it those three years. Most people don’t make it.”
“Let’s protect what we get. Let’s save what we get first. Let’s not be quick to go out here and make big purchases.”
After enduring cuts and injuries early in his NFL career, Copeland began to think beyond football. Determined to secure his future, he pushed himself further in learning about finance and money management. Following his grandfather’s example, Copeland focused on the long game and forged a 10-year career that far exceeded the NFL’s 3.3-year average.
He learned, earned, saved, and invested his way up. “There was a time in the League when I had $243 in my bank account,” he said. “For a certain amount of years, it was literally week to week.”
Since retiring from the NFL in 2023, Copeland uses his knowledge and platform to empower others, on a mission to make financial literacy accessible for all.
“My goal is to help people make better, more confident, financial decisions.”
Today, Copeland oversees an ecosystem of ventures including his community-focused nonprofit Beyond the Basics, Athletes.org, and Copeland Media, his financial education and consulting firm.
“At some point in your life, you’re going to be dealing with a financial decision that is pivotal,” he said. “Making the right or wrong decision is going to carry with you for the rest of your life. Copeland Media is there to be a resource to you during that moment.” From workshops and consulting Fortune 500 companies, producing TV and digital content, and implementing credit-earning financial literacy programs in high schools nationwide, Copeland Media does a whole lot—with plans to expand.
It’s about bridging the financial literacy gap, giving people the “playbook” to build wealth and unlock financial freedom.
Guiding Young Athletes in the NIL Era
Athletes in particular are trained to earn, but not enough are taught how to safeguard their wealth, Copeland noted. “For athletes, when it comes to money, what they do in this time will impact the rest of their lives. It’s important to give them those tools, because it’s the one subject that affects us all. Your credit is going to be important to you, whether you know it or not.”
With the rise of NIL (name, image, and likeness) compensation for college athletes, Copeland founded Athletes.org in 2023 to give players the proper support and representation as they navigate endorsement deals, partnerships, and other opportunities. “Right now in this NIL era, athletes have an opportunity to graduate from college with no debt—which puts you ahead of the starting line for most people in this day and age,” said Copeland. “Now you couple that with: hey, I’m earning some money too—so what are you doing with it?”
Protect What Matters
The father of three has big plans to expand his mission—what he calls “a financial education all-out blitz.” He hints that Copeland Media’s next phase will open up their “ecosystem” of digital resources, creating a one-stop shop where the community can get direct support for major financial milestones—from buying a home and planning for retirement, to managing an estate, and more.
“I liken it to a playbook—giving everyone access to the resources and the unfiltered advice that they will need for their major money decisions,” said Copeland. “Because more and more people are hurting financially … and a lot of us lack financial confidence.”
For the pro athlete turned savvy investor, the work is deeply personal. “My mom is one of the people I started this for. I restructured her 401(k) years ago and she smiles when she opens that thing now. Imagine if she would have known this years ago. She may have retired earlier.”
No matter who you are, money matters. Through financial empowerment, Copeland is helping people take charge of their money, build lasting legacies, and protect what matters most. He’s seen firsthand how making the right money moves can change lives. “It determines how you’re going to live the rest of your life.”
