Former Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles is making a new career play.
NEXGEN Roofing announced June 15 that Bortles is joining the company in an untitled role in which he’ll learn the different aspects of the business.
NEXGEN has launched a six-part video series that will follow Bortles as he “learns the business from the inside, meets team members, and experiences firsthand what it takes to serve homeowners and business owners throughout Florida,” according to a news release about the hire.
The first episode, which premiered June 1, is available at NEXGENFL.com/Blake as well as through NEXGEN’s social media channels.
“For now, since this is so fresh … we’re simply calling Blake our newest team member,” Brandon Cornellier, co-founder of NEXGEN, said in response to an emailed question about Bortles’ position, adding that he was “confident we’ll get him dialed in with a role that fits perfectly.”
Bortles led the Jaguars to a division title and the AFC Championship Game during the 2017-18 season. His performance fell off the next season, and the Jaguars released him in 2019.
He retired in 2022. According to Pro Football Reference, Bortles ranks No. 2 in career passing touchdowns for the Jaguars (with 103, behind Mark Brunell’s 144) and No. 3 in career passing yardage behind Brunell and Trevor Lawrence.
“Retirement has been great. I’ve been able to spend a lot of time with my family, and that’s been a huge blessing,” he said in the release.
“But I’ve realized it’s time to get back out there, and my main priority was finding somewhere I could continue to grow and be part of a great team.”
Perhaps to build suspense in the video series, Bortles says in the release he is not sure where he will eventually land in the company. If roofer turns out to be the best fit, he said, “Get me up there and let me go.”
Cornellier said in the release that NEXGEN stresses to its employees that “no matter the role, everyone contributes to the mission.”
“We believe Blake will be a valuable addition to that culture,” he said.