Stephen Anderson

Graduate at University of California, Berkeley

Houston, Texas, United States

About

Hello everyone. My name is Stephen Anderson. I graduated from the University of California, Berkeley with a degree in Public Health and went on to play 8 years in the NFL as a tight end, including winning a Super Bowl with the New England Patriots. My career included time with the Houston Texans (2016–2017), New England Patriots (2018), Los Angeles Chargers (2019–2021, 2023), and Arizona Cardinals (2022). Following my playing career, I founded Walk-On Mentality, a platform built to highlight and create opportunities for underdog student-athletes. What started as storytelling has evolved into a growing business focused on connecting brands with college athletes through targeted marketing campaigns, direct outreach, and NIL partnerships. We’ve built a network of 450+ athletes across 80+ campuses and work directly with brands to drive awareness, engagement, and measurable results. Through building Walk-On Mentality, I’ve developed a strong foundation in sales, from cold outreach and pipeline development to pitching, negotiating, and closing deals. I’ve led full-cycle sales efforts, created partnership strategies, and helped brands execute campaigns that deliver real value. In addition, I’ve been involved in launching and scaling a sports performance product (Dawg Trainer), where I played a role in operations, manufacturing, and sales, contributing to deals with 10+ NFL teams and 20+ collegiate programs. I’ve also invested in real estate, gaining experience in both rental properties and fix-and-flip projects. I’m focused on continuing to grow within sales and business development. I’m always open to connecting, learning, and building relationships. Feel free to reach out

Experience

  • Founder at Walk-On Mentality
    May 2022 - Present · 4 yrs 2 mos

    I founded a company called Walk-On Mentality. Walk-On Mentality highlights the inspiring, underdog stories of walk-on student athletes. Walk-On Mentality also partners with brands to create NIL deals for student-athletes

  • Professional Athlete at Arizona Cardinals Football Club
    Mar 2022 - Mar 2023 · 1 yr 1 mo

  • Professional Athlete at Los Angeles Chargers
    Sep 2019 - Jan 2022 · 2 yrs 5 mos

  • Professional Athlete at New England Patriots
    Sep 2018 - Sep 2019 · 1 yr 1 mo

  • Houston Texans (Full-time · 2 yrs 6 mos)
    • Professional Athlete
      Apr 2016 - Sep 2018 · 2 yrs 6 mos

    • Professional Athlete
      Apr 2016 - Sep 2018 · 2 yrs 6 mos