Brenden Stai joined the Nebraska Athletic Department in July of 2018 as a Director of Development, and he was promoted to Assitant Athletic DIrector - Leadership Giving & Football Relations in 2022. As a member of the Huskers Athletic Fund staff Stai is responsible for fostering relationships with donors in the state of Nebraska and the western part of the United States.
Prior to his current role, Stai spent nine years as a private business owner and has had a real state license since his playing days in the NFL.
A native of Yorba Linda, Calif., Stai has a deep connection with Nebraska as he was recruited to play football by Tom Osborne. Stai started his Husker career in 1990 and left after his senior season in 1994 as a national champion and consensus first-team All-American offensive lineman.
Stai was a third-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 1994 and spent five years with the Steelers. He was a member of their 1995 AFC Championship team that went on to play in Super Bowl XXX . Stai produced an eight-year NFL career that included stops in Pittsburgh, Jacksonville, Detroit and Washington.
Stai graduated in from Nebraska in 1994 with a degree in criminal justice and a minor in business.
Brenden and his wife, Jennifer, have two daughters, Christina and Brianna, and one son, Bryce, who is a defensive lineman at Ohio.