Super Bowl champ tackles second career in Northwest Arkansas

Brett Goode is back in Northwest Arkansas, but he’s traded in a career filled with footballs for a second one filled with finance.

The retired Super Bowl champion and former Arkansas Razorback recently moved to Bentonville from Fort Smith and is selling insurance for Siloam Springs firm Henderson-Phillips.

Goode, 35, officially started Sept. 1. He said he passed his licensing exam in January this year, but the arrival of COVID-19 pushed back the start of his career in the insurance business.

Charlotte Henderson and James Phillips own the eponymous firm, founded in 2016. They each previously worked for Allen Canning Co. It’s a full-service insurance brokerage offering several protection lines, employee benefits and human resources consulting.

The company principals shared a mutual connection with Goode in Fort Smith. Goode retired from the NFL in 2018.

“We talked throughout the year and finally came to an agreement,” Goode said. “I’ve enjoyed retirement, played some golf. Now it’s time to get back to work.”

That mentality should yield a successful second career for Goode and a productive asset for Henderson-Phillips. Hard work took Goode from an undersized high school lineman to the biggest stage in professional football.

A graduate of Northside High School in Fort Smith, Goode started his college football career as a non-scholarship walk-on in 2003. Goode found his niche on the special teams unit as a long-snapper, and he eventually became a four-year letterman for the Razorbacks.

The Jacksonville Jaguars signed Goode as an undrafted free agent in 2007. He didn’t earn a roster spot, but ultimately found a home with the Green Bay Packers the following year. In 10 seasons (2008-2017), Goode played in 152 games and reached the playoffs eight times. A Super Bowl win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in February 2011 was the crowning achievement.

According to the sports financial website Spotrac.com, Goode earned nearly $8 million during his NFL career. His last contract with the Packers was a one-year deal in August 2017 worth $900,000.

Goode said selling a product that most everyone needs is the great thing about the insurance business. Most customers turn to friends or people they know in the industry. Goode said despite the COVID-19 pandemic, building his business network is the main objective right now.

“Being able to get back to work and build a game plan is nice,” he said. “Right now, that’s cold-calling. Every day, I have a list of people I’m calling in the community and throughout the state, trying to build those relationships. I enjoy talking to people. And you’d be surprised how many Green Bay fans there are in this area.”