Roman Oben

Vice President of Youth & High School Football Strategy & College Relations, NFL

National Advisory Board

Roman Oben is currently the NFL’s Vice President of Youth & High School Football Strategy & College Relations, where he drives the league’s youth football strategy and develops new platforms to encourage participation in tackle and flag football. He has also helped reshape the way the collegiate student-athlete is educated on NFL preparedness both on & off the field.

Born in Cameroon, West Africa, Oben moved to the United States when he was four years old and grew up in Washington, DC. As a teenager, he worked concessions at Washington Redskins games at RFK Stadium.

Oben played college football at the University of Louisville where he earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics and was inducted into Louisville’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2009. Oben’s professional career began with the New York Giants in 1996 and continued in Cleveland playing for the Browns. In 2002, he helped the Tampa Bay Buccaneers capture their first championship in Super Bowl XXXVII and was later traded to the San Diego Chargers where he started at left tackle and finished his playing career in 2008.

Starting in more than 90% of the games throughout his 12-year NFL career, Oben concurrently earned a master’s degree in public administration at Farleigh Dickinson University in May 200.

After retiring from the NFL, Oben held business development roles and had an extensive media career covering the Giants on MSG, My9 and NBC; Oben also served as a recurring guest on several MSNBC shows discussing sports and their larger societal impact.

Oben has been a leader and advocate for sports enrichment, receiving countless awards for community service both as an NFL player and off the field.