Originally signed to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers as an undrafted free agent in 2002, Ryan Nece was a part of the Buccaneers team that went on to win a World Championship that season in Super Bowl XXXVII. Ryan spent a total of seven years in the NFL as a linebacker and special teams standout for the Buccaneers and, in his final year, the Detroit Lions.
During his time in the NFL, Ryan consistently stepped up as a leader. He established himself as a team captain in Tampa where he set an example for his teammates to follow with his work ethic both on the field and in the community.
For seven years, Nece’s primary focus was football, which provided him with a platform to impact others and opened doors to new and exciting opportunities. In addition to his work on the football field and in the community, Ryan has spent the last several years honing his business acumen. Following his career in the NFL, Ryan started several new career ventures to channel his focus and energy toward areas off the playing field. Ryan, along with former teammate Jeb Terry, created an exciting communications platform company called StraightCast. This platform improves the way people generate, distribute and consume mobile video. The goal of StraightCast is to revolutionize the way content providers connect and engage with their followers through authentic content.
Ryan also has experience as a media personality, as he reported weekly from the sidelines during the 2010 UFL season on behalf of the Versus Network. Ryan then worked part-time for Brighthouse Sports Network as a football analyst, as well as host of the pre- and post-game shows on the Buccaneers Radio Network, US 103.5. Currently, Ryan works with FOX Sports 1 as an on-air analyst and sideline reporter.
Ryan’s football and business endeavors have certainly played a major role in developing who he is as a person, but he believes his reason for waking up every day is to make a positive impact in someone else’s life. Ryan founded the Ryan Nece Foundation in 2006 in an effort to increase his extensive community service efforts in the Tampa Bay area. The mission of the Ryan Nece Foundation is to be a beacon to teens by empowering them to impact giving in their communities. The foundation’s vision is to create opportunities for teens to embrace the Power of Giving through service projects, inspirational programs, and volunteerism. Ryan’s goal through the foundation is to help mentor the next generation of servant leaders who will become the philanthropists, volunteers, and nonprofit organization leaders of tomorrow.