National Football League Security Jobs: How to Land a Job in NFL Security

National Football League security jobs are in demand because football is big business. Tens of thousands of fans attend each NFL game throughout the season, making it the United States’ most popular pro league. At any time large groups of people are gathered, security becomes an issue. That is especially true of the National Football League because of the live national broadcasting of many games. Aside from the games themselves, news attention is paid to the games before and after they occur. 

The amount of attention that is placed on the league makes National Football League security jobs particularly critical in controlling behavior. Beyond being unsafe and/or criminal, problematic behavior could hijack the audience’s attention from the game. 

In fact, security at games is so important that the NFL has special protections from the federal government. The league has been granted the highest level of US Department of Homeland Security protections through Safety Act designation and certification. Whenever an emergency arises, the league is able to use “government contractor defense” to address the incident if it is considered an act of terrorism.

NFL careers in security ensure that everyone can enjoy the game without unnecessary distractions. You get to protect the fans and the coaches and players – whom you can advise on proper security strategies. Often you get to travel with the team or drive coaches/players. You may even be able to investigate threats.

Types of NFL Security Jobs

National Football League security jobs are essential to ensuring that fans can have a great time. Security is needed for games, as well as before and after them. Beyond game attendees, NFL security also protects the athletes and coaches. In some cases, football security pros are even asked to investigate players suspected of criminal conduct. 

Many different people must perform in a complex, coordinated fashion to deliver strong security at games and at all times. 

• Stadium security personnel – While security is needed at other times, game-day management is the focus of many National Football League Security jobs. These professionals need to monitor both what is happening on the field and within the locker rooms. 
• In-crowd security personnel – One big distraction can be two fans getting into a fight or loud argument. Security professionals are distributed throughout the crowd in the stadium, so someone is always nearby to defuse a situation and take appropriate action.
• On-field security personnel – The field of play needs to be a specific point of focus for some of the security team. The goal of these individuals is to make sure that fans are not able to get out onto the field and interrupt the action.

If you want to be a security guard, NFL employment will mean you need to oversee the entire property. You are also public-facing and will sometimes need to provide directions or greet fans. Along with general monitoring, the objective of the security team is to stop and report any incidents of unauthorized entry, vandalism, theft, fire, or other crime/destruction.

Management jobs will involve orchestrating the various pieces of the security mechanism. NFL security jobs in management may also involve completing paperwork related to personnel entrance and exit. You may need to hire and train new employees as well.

How Much Does an NFL Security Job Pay?

National Football League security jobs pay salaries within a broad range. Your education, experience, and degree of leadership responsibility all impact the available pay. The city where the team is located will influence what you make too.

The highest-paying security jobs come with a salary and are higher up the management ladder. 

What about non-managerial security guard positions? While you should keep in mind that bonuses are often part of these packages, too, the typical salary for NFL jobs in security is $20 to $30 per hour, plus any overtime.

This pay is notable because it is the best pay range in pro and college sports. Here are the lower pay rates for other major sports leagues:

• National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA): $12 to $30 per hour, plus overtime;
• National Basketball Association (NBA): $15 to $25 per hour, plus overtime;
• Major League Baseball: $15 to $25 per hour, plus overtime; and
• National Hockey League (NHL): $12.50 to $25 per hour, plus overtime.

Sometimes, people who work at games have full-time law enforcement jobs that supplement with part-time income from NFL security.

How to Get a Job in NFL Security

Management jobs in pro football security will require a bachelor’s degree and possibly a master’s degree. To get a non-management job in National Football League security, these are the core qualifications that you will need:

1. You must be able to rapidly and effectively come to others’ aid when emergencies arise.
2. You must be willing to work on the weekends, at night, and even on holidays. You must be at least 18 years old.
3. You must have an active phone line.
4. You must be able to qualify for a security guard license, in part due to your clean criminal record.
5. You must be able to quickly get information between the security office and clients – which means you need to have strong written and spoken English communication skills.
6. While you can sometimes acquire jobs and then get state-mandated training, it can improve your position to meet all state requirements prior to applying.

Beyond those basic criteria, it is also key to know the right people since thousands of people want these positions. By networking as much as you can and getting in front of NFL professionals, you are able to learn of opportunities that you would otherwise not. Online sports professional networks can be especially helpful.

Start Your Search Today

As noted above, you increase your chances of success in your job search by knowing right away about all openings. At JobsInSports.com, we are the most up-to-date sports job board in the industry. Plus, an industry survey showed a vast majority of sports employers are either “far more likely” or “more likely” to hire JobsInSports.com members than other applicants. Search open NFL Job positions now.