From Football to Finance: My Leadership on the Field Became an Asset

Master of Management helped build a career beyond the game

Blog
February 13, 2026
Thomas Mirabella MM 25

A man in business attire and a graduation stole stands holding a UC Davis football helmet in the lobby of the UC Davis Graduate School of Management.

When I enrolled in the UC Davis Master of Management (MM) program, I was not stepping away from my previous identity. I was still living it every day.

As a full-time NCAA Division-I student athlete, you have five calendar years to compete in four seasons. The clock continues running whether you compete or not, so finishing my playing career meant continuing my education at the same time. That meant pursuing a graduate business degree while operating inside the structure of a college football program.

My days revolved around the challenging balance of classes, homework, practice, lifting, running, meetings, film review, recovery, nutrition, hydration and travel.

Building a Career Beyond the Game

When I entered the MM program, I was not certain what I wanted to do after graduation because I was still heavily invested in football. I knew my playing career would end eventually, and I needed to determine what came next.

I was also part of the inaugural cohort of the Master of Management program, which added another layer of uncertainty. There was no career placement track record of where graduates would land or how employers would perceive the degree. I strongly believed in UC Davis Graduate School of Management and the curriculum, but I did not have guaranteed outcomes to rely on.

Translating Athletic Skills into Business Value

Finding a job was not easy. I did not have traditional internships because my time outside class was spent focusing on football. As graduation approached, I sent hundreds of applications, connected with professionals on LinkedIn, attended networking events and scheduled virtual coffee chats whenever possible. Many conversations were helpful, but most did not immediately lead to opportunities.

The 2025 job market for new graduates without prior corporate experience was extremely competitive. Weeks passed without responses, and I began to feel real pressure as my playing career ended and I transitioned fully into the professional world.

For the first time in years, there was no real schedule telling me what to do next. That uncertainty forced me to think differently about how I explained the value I bring.

I originally assumed business school would help me discover what I wanted to do. Instead, it required me to start acting like a professional immediately.

Football provides structure and clear expectations, while graduate school requires initiative. Nobody tells you exactly how to position yourself or present your value. You must figure that out yourself.

Developing Discipline On and Off the Field

The hardest days were Tuesdays and Wednesdays during the season, which were our most physically demanding practices before a Saturday game. At the same time, I balanced several lectures, projects and meetings. I moved from practice to class discussions, to film review, to group work, all within a single day. Staying focused in each environment required discipline and preparation, but it also showed me that the degree alone would not create a career path. I had to translate my experiences into one.

UC Davis football quarterback prepares to hand off the ball during a game against an opposing team, with players blocking and defending on the field. — UC Davis offensive lineman Thomas Mirabella (#62) blocks to create space for the running play as quarterback Miles Hastings MM 25 (#7) executes the handoff.

I played center on the offensive line, which meant identifying the defensive structure before every play, communicating adjustments to the quarterback and directing the rest of the line on how we would execute.

My team position required awareness, communication, attention to detail and composure under pressure. Through the UC Davis career development team, I began to understand this was not simply an athletics experience, but also developing leadership and decision-making skills.

In interviews, I answered workplace scenario questions using real examples from years of team competition. Situations involving accountability, collaboration and decision-making under pressure became evidence of readiness rather than unrelated sports stories.

Around the same time, the class, Markets & the Firm, with Lecturer Matthew Zaragoza-Watkins sparked my interest in finance and economic behavior. Following market movements and understanding institutional incentives made finance feel practical rather than abstract.

Breaking Into Finance: From Applications to Offer

Through networking events hosted by the MM program, I met alumni and professionals at various financial institutions and learned how my communication, preparation and athletic background could translate directly into business environments.

The turning point came when I stopped worrying about lacking internships and instead explained how I had already operated inside a high-performance organization for nearly a decade.

Interviewers stopped viewing football as separate from business and began viewing it as relevant experience.

That shift led to my first professional role as a secondary capital markets analyst on the Mortgage Capital Trade Desk at City National Bank. After graduating in June, I returned to Orange County and joined the bank in October 2025 at their Downtown LA headquarters.

I now support daily, weekly and monthly reporting to management and traders while continuing to build knowledge of financial markets. My goal is to grow into a trading role, and eventually, leadership within the desk.

Advice for Students Pursuing Business Careers

The MM program is best suited for students who bring meaningful experiences but need help translating them into a professional narrative. If you actively engage with networking opportunities, ask questions and shape your direction, you will benefit greatly.