The third annual NFL Career Tour is a 3-day event that took place on March 4, 5 and 6, 2025, at Hidden Empire Film Group in Santa Monica, CA.
The NFL’s Player Engagement team created the ‘NFL Career Tour’ to provide football legends and those still in the league the opportunity to learn first-hand about filmmaking and meet leaders in the film industry.
Participating on behalf of the NFL was Tracy Perlman, Senior Vice President of Player Operations; Hidden Empire are Co-CEOs Deon Taylor and Roxanne Taylor, Omar Joseph, President, and Ephraim Salaam HESC’s President of Talent Strategy and Creative Executive.
The final day of the program included the completion of a short film created by the athletes that put into practice the knowledge they learned about directing, cinematography, producing, and acting, the art of filmmaking.
I had opportunity to sit down and talk with a few of the NFL players and legends. Read below!
A Conversation with Brennan Scarlett
Brennan was born and raised in Portland, Oregon, He is a graduate of Central Catholic High, where he was a lettered athlete in football, track and field and swimming He attended California Berkely, played on the football team, and obtained a bachelor’s degree in business. He transferred to Stanford University, where he also played on the football and graduated with a master’s in science management, engineering. He played 7 years in the league. 5 years with the Houston Texans and 2 years with the Miami Dolphins. Brennan retired in 2024.
Yevette Renee: With your educational background, have you considered producing, financing fundraising for film production?
Brennan Scarlett: That is a good question. I like all of it. I like the business part. How the money gets made. I want to know who is buying what and who is selling what. I see creativity in all of it. The business is very creative. You make a movie. You create a scene. You paint a picture. It is all creative.
Yevette Renee: Do you think having an interest in filmmaking as whole will help you as you grow in the film industry?
Brennan Scarlett: I think it should help. They mentioned that today, a director took acting classes so he would know how to communicate with actors and his next job was working with DeNiro.
A Conversation with Reginald Kahlil McKenzie, Jr,
Reginald graduated from Clayton Valley Charter High School, Concord, CA. and is a former #1 rated high school football player in the country. He played college football at his father’s (32 years in the NFL) and uncle’s (two Super Bowl champion Washington Redskins) alma mater, University of Tennessee, as a Defensive lineman. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2018 and played five seasons, including with the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals.
Yevette Renee: What advice would you give a young college student interested in becoming a sports agent?
Reginald shared that after retirement, how he looked into what the NFL had to offer its player. And if you are willing to work and learn there are many things that they offered that can be applied to the player lives. And how great it is what the NFL is doing for its player.
A Conversation with Troy Pride, jr.
Troy graduated from Greer High School, in Greer, South Carolina. He attended Notre Dame where he excelled in football and track as a sprinter. Pride was drafted by the Carolina Panthers in 2020 and is a cornerback for the Dallas Cowboys.
Yevette Renee: Who is your favorite director?
Troy Pride: Jordan Peele, right now. He took the world by storm with ‘Get Out.” Especially, because it was a horror film. As an actor, Denzel Washington introduced me to film. It was watching him in ‘Luther’ that got me interested.
Yevette Renee: Jordan Peele’s work reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock, what are your thoughts?
Troy Pride: it is an iteration of Alfred Hitchcock He has that other world, very disturbing and that is just what he did with Get Out.
Yevette Renee: What advice would you give a college student interested in sports and entertainment?
Troy Pride: First, I would give the advice to be yourself. Do not worry about what other people are doing on social media. Being yourself is when you will find your true passion.
Yevette Renee: Beginning with football until now, what is the most important things you have learned on your journey?
Troy Pride: Perseverance. I tore my ACL in my second year, and it is an 80% career ending injury for most players. I learned how resilient I was.
Additional participants included Kyler Murray, Arizona Cardinals; Dion Dawkins, Buffalo Bills; Orlando Brown, Cincinnati Bengals; Darius Harris, Dallas Cowboys; Dakoda Shepley, Dallas Cowboys; Troy Pride, Dallas Cowboys; Atorian Perry, Denver Broncos; Isaac Ukwu, Detroit Lions; Kwity Paye, Indianapolis Colts; K'Lavon Chaisson, Las Vegas Raiders; Tomari Fox, Las Vegas Raiders; Emany Johnson, Los Angeles Chargers; Daiyan Henley. Los Angeles Chargers; Denzel Perryman, Los Angeles Chargers; Charles Harris, Philadelphia Eagles; Cameron Heyward, Pittsburgh Steelers; Jalyn Holmes, Washington Commanders; Miles Burris, Free Agent; Reginald McKenzie, Free Agent; Tevaughn Campbell, Free Agent; Trayvon Henderson, Free Agent; Christopher Pressley, Free Agent; Vance Walker, Legend; Amon Arnold Legend; and Brock Vereen, Legend
ABOUT NFL PLAYER ENGAGEMENT
NFL Player Engagement (PE) takes a four-pillar approach to supporting NFL players and their families during their NFL career and beyond: Continuing Education, Financial Literacy, Professional Development, and Personal Development.
Through peer-to-peer engagement and direct outreach, PE’s innovative programs and services assist players and provide them with the resources necessary to make the most of their lives on the field and away from the game.
From aiding players with building their brands and managing their finances, to supporting their physical, mental and financial well-being, the goal of the Player Engagement department is to provide the best community of care to serve, equip, empower, and support the player and his entire ecosystem during and after his playing days.
ABOUT SKYDANCE SPORTS
David Ellison founded Skydance in 2010 with the ambitious vision to establish a diversified media company to create high-quality content and engaging experiences for a global audience. Skydance’s independence, versatility and multi-platform approach have propelled the Company’s growth in live-action features, television, animation, interactive and new media. Today, more than five hundred colleagues across two continents share David’s vision and, together, have expanded Skydance’s portfolio, creating a world-class studio on the forefront of where entertainment is heading.
ABOUT HIDDEN EMPIRE FILM GROUP (HEFG)
ABOUT HIDDEN EMPIRE FILM GROUP (HEFG)
Hidden Empire Film Group (HEFG) is a multi-dimensional independent film company, led by founders Deon Taylor and Roxanne Avent Taylor, along with a devoted management team. which has produced highly engaging films since its inception, including multiple franchises, which have been distributed both domestically and internationally.
ABOUT HIDDEN EMPIRE SPORTS COLLECTIVE (HESC)
Hidden Empire Sports Collective (HESC) is e first entertainment division from a film studio to prioritize intellectual property and content creation for athletes and sports. Sumair Khan, Co-CEO The Union, heads the new division; Rodney Guillory, President of Talent Strategy; and Ephraim Salaam, Creative Executive.
