Why do people quit their dream jobs? As Melissa Menta knows, this is a daunting decision.
In 2023, Menta quit his management job in NFL player operations and began attending law school.
“If you told me at 22 years old that I was quitting this job, I would have thought you were crazy,” she says. “I’ve managed to make it through, so why would I want to leave?”
Journey to and from the NFL
Menta has been involved in sports, from gymnastics, soccer, lacrosse, and track and field, ever since she can remember.
At the same time, “I always wanted to do something in business,” says the 32-year-old. “So when I found out I could combine that with something I really love, like sports, I thought there was no other way. That’s what I want to do.”
After earning a degree in sports management from New York University, he landed a role in player operations for the NFL in 2016, where he worked on player content development and marketing. She was promoted three times in seven years and was overseeing a team of four by the time she retired, she says.
Menta says working in the NFL was a great experience, but she also said she came to feel that her job was more about solving problems after the fact, rather than actively “shaping how things turned out.” “I felt a little intellectually unsatisfied.”
Menta, who considers herself positive and energetic, said she felt her temperament at work had changed. “When I started feeling my energy drop, I thought maybe something needed to change,” she says.
Despite going to multiple Super Bowls, her favorite event was the annual owners meeting. “I loved being around decision-makers,” she says. “And I realized that those were the rooms I wanted to be in.”
Melissa Menta quit her dream job in NFL player management to attend law school.
melissa menta
She spoke with women who had law degrees and had success in the NFL, and she encouraged her mentors to get law degrees as well. “It’s an immediate qualification to have in your corner,” Menta says, adding that it seemed especially valuable to her as a woman in a male-dominated industry like sports. Many league commissioners and other prominent executives in sports have legal backgrounds, she added.
“Time and again, I find myself in rooms where lawyers are driving decisions, not just giving advice,” Menta says. “I felt I already had the business acumen and organizational knowledge, but I didn’t have the legal framework to really be an influential decision maker.”
Law school, she said, would help her develop critical analytical skills, draft rigorous documents and negotiate rules governing how sports organizations operate, all of which she hoped would one day ease her return to sports.
“I felt like those were skills I didn’t have,” she says. “So I thought, ‘Let’s give it a try. Let’s go this route.'”
“It’s time to take a risk.”
Menta was a little hesitant. She said she felt she had a chance for continued career advancement if she stayed in the NFL, but wondered, “Should I give it up for something potentially great?”
A few questions helped her decide to take the leap. For example, she says she asked herself, “Do I really want to do this for the rest of my career?” The answer was no. She also asked herself what she would regret more about staying or leaving, and what was really holding her back. As a single woman with no children or a home, she says, “It was time to take a risk.”
Adjusting to law school was difficult. She said she initially felt left behind compared to many younger students or those with law experience, and had to get back into the rhythm of student life after years of working full time.
“I felt dizzy,” Menta said. “There were a few moments where I thought, ‘Am I in over my head?'”
Despite her doubts, she says she tried to remind herself, “I was going to grow and learn so much in these three years of law school, and it couldn’t have been worse in the end.”
Her #1 tip for career changers
Menta’s best advice for anyone considering a career change is to talk to “people who know they’ve already turned the corner,” based on their experience making the pivot.
“I needed to seek advice from people who had gone through similar things,” she said, pointing to the influence of female mentors in inspiring her to attend law school. “There are a lot of people who are successful in their careers who love to pay it forward and give advice and guidance if they just reach out and ask.”
If you’re considering making the switch, “trust your gut,” says Menta. “If you think about it, there’s a reason for that.”
After graduating in May, Menta plans to work in the field of corporate law. Although there are no immediate sports-related positions in this position, she would like to return to the industry one day, ideally in a leadership position.
“I say I quit my dream job, but I’m taking a little break from my dream job,” she says. “The goal is always to get back to the sport.”
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