Managing High-Value Athletes: Surgical Decision-Making in College Football | Kevin Farmer

Join Stephania Bell, PT, OCS Emeritus, CSCS—senior writer and injury analyst for ESPN— as she sits down at AOSSM 2025 with Dr. Kevin Farmer, Professor and Chief of Sports Medicine at the University of Florida and Team Physician for the Florida Gators.In this conversation, Dr. Farmer breaks down how the transfer portal, NIL, and agent involvement are reshaping athlete management in elite college football. He discusses the challenges of caring for high-value athletes, the complexities of post-operative continuity when players transfer, and the increasing risk landscape clinicians face in the current system.Physical therapists will gain insight into:- How transfer portal movement disrupts continuity of care and surgical follow-up- Why surgeons and PTs must adhere strictly to outside protocols for liability protection- How NIL deals and financial incentives influence injury reporting, redshirting, and RTP decisions- The growing role of agents in case management—and how it changes communication workflows- Practical considerations for managing elite collegiate athletes amid legal, financial, and ethical pressuresTarget Audience:orthopedic physical therapists, sports physical therapists, athletic trainers, sports medicine clinicians, team PTs, outpatient PTs, rehabilitation professionals, PT students, ortho residents, sports performance staff, strength and conditioning coaches