Active-duty military service members, veterans and former athletes looking for purpose can now find it in the nation’s capital.
Merging Vets & Players (MVP), a national nonprofit that brings all the aforementioned groups of people together through fitness, peer support and community, officially launched its new District, Maryland, VA (DMV) on Aug. 9 with a community workout meant to be a precursor for what can be expected across the Washington metropolitan region for years to come. MVP has a presence in seven U.S. cities.
The event was open to active-duty personnel and components, veterans, former professional athletes, supporters and community members.
MVP was founded by Fox Sports NFL insider Jay Glazer and former Green Beret and NFL player Nate Boyer. Its intent is simple and straightforward: provide purpose and a new “team” for those who exit the military and athletics and are grappling with a loss of identity.
“What people lose most isn’t structure—it’s the team and camaraderie,” Boyer, a former long snapper and Texas Longhorns graduate, said in a statement shared with Military.com.
The new DMV chapter will reportedly provide programming designed to strengthen physical, mental and emotional well-being while cultivating a sense of belonging that may dissipate after service or competition concludes.
$100,000 Gift From a Coach Who Cares
The launch of the D.C. chapter was aided by a generous donation from one of the region’s most familiar faces.
Washington Commanders head coach Dan Quinn, hailed by MVP as one of the organization’s strongest advocates, donated $100,000 to help establish the chapter. Quinn has supported both veterans and ex-professional athletes through workouts, Huddles, mentorship and community engagement across multiple cities.
“I used to think that taking off the uniform—whether it was the football uniform or military uniform—as an ending, but now I see it as a beginning, a new chapter that you never age out of,” Quinn said in remarks provided to Military.com. “And that is thanks to MVP.”
Boyer praised Quinn, formerly a head coach for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons, for all he’s done over the years.
“His leadership reflects the same values that define MVP: teamwork, accountability, resilience, and never leaving a teammate behind,” Boyer said.
The MVP Origin Story
MVP, according to Boyer, is unlike traditional support programs.
One reason why is due to what they call “Huddles.” While those from athletic or military backgrounds may surmise the term as correlating with intimate conversations before, during or after events, the MVP Huddle is a bit different and longer lasting.
“Jay and I started having conversations about the similarities in what veterans go through and what former professional athletes go through after they leave the field of battle or the field of play…after they lose the uniform,” Boyer said.
Founders say that every MVP session combines a team workout, and it’s always followed by The Huddle—described as a confidential peer conversation where members build trust, accountability and lasting relationships.
Since its 2015 founding, MVP has helped more than 15,000 participants, according to its website, amounting to more than 20,000 program hours and a 92% member retention rate.
“We decided to create a new tribe by bringing together what some would see as strange bedfellows—service members, veterans and former professional athletes—through fitness, authentic conversation and community, so they can navigate life after the uniform together,” Boyer added.
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