On the field, Jonathan Vilma's job is to make life difficult for opposing offenses.
Off the field, Vilma is trying to make life as easy as possible.
The 31-year-old linebacker is a co-founder of a cool new app called BarEye, a program that allows bar goers to order drinks from their mobile devices. BarEye lets people check in at a bar and order drinks for themselves or for that cute stranger at the other end of the bar.
The app recently finished a pilot program in Tallahassee, Fla., and is expanding to Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, New York City and Miami. So if you're in Miami and your friend in Los Angeles is out celebrating her birthday, you can buy her a drink via BarEye.
No cash is exchanged, and people can redeem the drink by scanning their phones on an iPad at the bar.
"As soon as they order, they are right back on their phone,” Vilma told the New York Daily News. "This is how they interact. I felt this is a really good way to capture this audience. Instead of checking in on Foursquare, they can check in on BarEye."
Vilma was approached about the idea by a childhood friend, BarEye's CEO Andrew Bennett. Bennett told USA Today that during BarEye's test run in Tallahassee, BarEye signed up 17 bars. The app was downloaded 10,000 times and 6,000 drinks were purchased.
"Bars recognize the ever-growing need to embrace varied social networks as a means to increase their audience, engage their consumers and stay relevant," Bennett told USA Today.
Vilma is coming off perhaps the most frustrating stretch of his professional career. The three-time Pro Bowler was initially suspended for the entire 2012 season because of his involvement in the Saints' bounty program. In December the punishment was vacated by former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue.
Vilma said during his time away from his team, he was able to focus on outside business ventures. He told USA Today that in many senses, playing football professionally is similar to running a business.
"The NFL is very structured (and) personally I like it that way," Vilma said. "It's all about performance -- you either perform or you don't. In football you get fired or cut. In (business) you lose your money. Clearly I'm not trying to lose money."
