Laveranues Coles spent a decade in the NFL catching passes, breaking coverages, and putting up three 1,000-yard seasons. Today, the former Pro Bowler is wearing a different uniform: he now works for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
Coles, who played from 2000 to 2009 for the New York Jets, Washington, and the Cincinnati Bengals, is featured in a new NBC News report examining how former professional athletes are transitioning into law enforcement careers.
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office currently employs nine former NFL players, including Coles and former linebacker Jeff Kopp.
Coles told NBC News’ Kathy Park that joining the department gave him something he hadn’t felt since his playing days.
“This job allows me to feel like I’m a part of something greater than myself, like I was when I was in the NFL,” he said. For him, the shift feels less like a departure and more like stepping into a familiar team dynamic—just built around public service instead of football.
Kopp, who played six seasons in the NFL between 1995 and 1999, now works as a detective. He pointed out that the physical expectations of the police academy surprised even athletes who once trained at an elite level. “There’s a lot more running,” he said. “We didn’t run as much in the NFL.”
He also joked about the financial contrast between the fields. “The pay’s not as good as the NFL, but they’re working on it,” Kopp said, before gesturing toward Coles. “He’s laughing harder than me because he made a lot more than me.” Reports note that Coles earned more than $42 million over his NFL career.
Before his professional success, Coles had a highly scrutinized moment during his time at Florida State. In 1999, he and teammate Peter Warrick were charged after receiving heavily discounted clothing from a department store.
Coles pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor and was dismissed from the team, while Warrick remained on the roster after a two-game suspension.