1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:02,840 Speaker 1: We're onto the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. With 2 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:06,440 Speaker 1: Draft Kings Sports Book, an official sports betting partner of 3 00:00:06,480 --> 00:00:09,800 Speaker 1: the NFL. Counting down to Super Bowl fifty six, new 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:13,680 Speaker 1: customers can get fifty six to one odds on any 5 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:16,640 Speaker 1: team that just five dollars and get two hundred and 6 00:00:16,680 --> 00:00:20,360 Speaker 1: eighty in free bets if your team wins. Download the 7 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:23,160 Speaker 1: Draft Kings sports Book app now, use promo code d 8 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:26,800 Speaker 1: K one and get fifty six to one odds on 9 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:30,600 Speaker 1: any NFL team that's just five bucks and when two 10 00:00:30,680 --> 00:00:33,800 Speaker 1: hundred and eighty in free bets. If your team wins, 11 00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,320 Speaker 1: that's promo code d K one for fifty six to 12 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,560 Speaker 1: one odds at Draft Kings sports Book, an official sports 13 00:00:40,600 --> 00:00:43,720 Speaker 1: betting partner of the NFL. Twenty one plus smino mage 14 00:00:43,800 --> 00:00:47,440 Speaker 1: and location requirements vary by jurisdiction. See DraftKings dot com 15 00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: slash sports Book for the full list of requirements and 16 00:00:50,360 --> 00:00:55,440 Speaker 1: state specific responsible gaming resources. Boyd were prohibited gambling problem 17 00:00:55,600 --> 00:00:59,240 Speaker 1: Call one hundred gambler in Tennessee call or text the 18 00:00:59,280 --> 00:01:05,119 Speaker 1: t N RED nine nine. In Connecticut call seven eight 19 00:01:05,200 --> 00:01:10,000 Speaker 1: nine seven seven seven seven, or visit CCPG dot org 20 00:01:10,360 --> 00:01:14,360 Speaker 1: slash chat in New York call eight seven seven eight 21 00:01:14,680 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 1: hope in why or text hope and why four six 22 00:01:18,560 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: seven three six nine. Up Work is the world's work marketplace. 23 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:29,160 Speaker 1: Empower your business and hire the world's most in demand developers, designers, 24 00:01:29,360 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 1: project managers and more at www. Dot up work, dot com. 25 00:01:34,680 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: Hi commissioner, How are you hire? You ready? I'm ready? 26 00:01:38,840 --> 00:01:41,640 Speaker 1: Are you ready? I was fortunate growing up in Canada 27 00:01:41,720 --> 00:01:44,640 Speaker 1: where I played flag football and touch football. Growing up, 28 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 1: it was offered at my high school from the two 29 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,560 Speaker 1: yard line that as left. It was a very competitive sport. 30 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,560 Speaker 1: The guys would come watch ustin we would go watch them. 31 00:01:57,080 --> 00:02:01,880 Speaker 1: And when women's tackle football started in in two thousand, 32 00:02:01,640 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 1: I raised my hands that I want to do this. 33 00:02:03,840 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: I've been playing non contact for so long, for my 34 00:02:05,760 --> 00:02:07,640 Speaker 1: whole life. I want to see what it's like to 35 00:02:07,640 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: put on the pads and and learn how to take 36 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:16,240 Speaker 1: a hit. And so, uh do you remember your first hit? Oh? God, 37 00:02:16,320 --> 00:02:18,520 Speaker 1: I remember my first hit. I remember my coach teaching 38 00:02:18,520 --> 00:02:20,400 Speaker 1: me that I need to learn how to take a hit. 39 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:22,600 Speaker 1: And I think as I progressed in my career, I 40 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,200 Speaker 1: learned really how to take a hit. I'm I'm five 41 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 1: five and was one thirty at the time. So for 42 00:02:27,560 --> 00:02:29,160 Speaker 1: me to take a hit from you know, a three 43 00:02:29,520 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 1: town woman was something I needed to learn at a 44 00:02:32,600 --> 00:02:35,840 Speaker 1: at a young age in my career. But I loved it. Hi, 45 00:02:36,280 --> 00:02:39,600 Speaker 1: I'm Sam Rappaport and this is earning it the NFL's 46 00:02:39,639 --> 00:02:43,639 Speaker 1: Forward Progress. It's a podcast about football and so much more. 47 00:02:46,639 --> 00:02:49,160 Speaker 1: I had this idea to create a pipeline to give 48 00:02:49,240 --> 00:02:53,160 Speaker 1: women with smart, talented football minds a shot at football 49 00:02:53,280 --> 00:02:56,440 Speaker 1: jobs in the NFL. In just five years, we've created 50 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 1: almost two hundred opportunities for women. We'll be talking to 51 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:01,960 Speaker 1: some of them this show, along with many other great 52 00:03:01,960 --> 00:03:06,920 Speaker 1: football minds, NFL head coaches, general managers, owners, incredible female 53 00:03:06,919 --> 00:03:10,480 Speaker 1: trailblazers who happened to be passionate NFL fans like Billy 54 00:03:10,600 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 1: gene King. Every generation has their trailblazers, every generation has 55 00:03:15,080 --> 00:03:18,320 Speaker 1: their first and it's really, really hard. I'm living my 56 00:03:18,440 --> 00:03:20,880 Speaker 1: lifelong dream and I can't wait to take you along 57 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:24,160 Speaker 1: for this ride. As Senior Director of Diversity, Equity and 58 00:03:24,240 --> 00:03:26,840 Speaker 1: Inclusion at the NFL, I've made up my mission to 59 00:03:26,880 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: bring more women into the fold so we can continue 60 00:03:29,480 --> 00:03:32,640 Speaker 1: to move the needle for future generations. So let's start 61 00:03:32,639 --> 00:03:34,960 Speaker 1: at the beginning, which in this case happens to be 62 00:03:35,040 --> 00:03:37,640 Speaker 1: on a high school football field in the suburbs of 63 00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:40,640 Speaker 1: New York City. That's where I met my producer, Jane. 64 00:03:40,760 --> 00:03:43,480 Speaker 1: She's a veteran journalist and a fan. I thought I 65 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: knew a lot about football. I grew up as a 66 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,680 Speaker 1: huge fan All Brothers season tickets to the Chicago var 67 00:03:48,800 --> 00:03:50,560 Speaker 1: since nineteen seventy two. I've been to a lot of 68 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:52,480 Speaker 1: football games in my life. I also happened to be 69 00:03:52,520 --> 00:03:56,160 Speaker 1: married to Roger she means Roger Goodell, the NFL commissioner, 70 00:03:56,640 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 1: my boss, actually my boss's boss's boss. They've been married 71 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:03,640 Speaker 1: for twenty four years and have twin daughters who seemed 72 00:04:03,680 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: to have inherited this passion for football. The way they 73 00:04:06,600 --> 00:04:09,560 Speaker 1: understand the game. It's not just as a fan. They 74 00:04:09,600 --> 00:04:12,520 Speaker 1: really understand the game from a football perspective, and it 75 00:04:12,600 --> 00:04:14,760 Speaker 1: amazes me. The three of us sat down in the 76 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,560 Speaker 1: Commissioner's office, right next to the Lombardi Trophy to talk 77 00:04:18,600 --> 00:04:20,880 Speaker 1: about the important role women are now playing in this 78 00:04:21,000 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: sport and how we can create more opportunities for them. 79 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:26,560 Speaker 1: I grew up my parents put me in ballet and 80 00:04:26,640 --> 00:04:28,839 Speaker 1: tap dance and jazz dance and if you know me 81 00:04:28,920 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 1: right now, that's really funny because you know, really when 82 00:04:32,839 --> 00:04:34,960 Speaker 1: when I became a teenager, I kind of flipped and 83 00:04:34,960 --> 00:04:37,600 Speaker 1: and and really football was was my love and so 84 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:40,080 Speaker 1: my parents really fostered it. They It was never I 85 00:04:40,160 --> 00:04:41,800 Speaker 1: never got asked, you know, like, oh, you're a girl, 86 00:04:41,839 --> 00:04:43,520 Speaker 1: how are you going to play? Or how is this 87 00:04:43,560 --> 00:04:46,200 Speaker 1: going to be a challenge? And I remember the first 88 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:48,680 Speaker 1: time I played tackle though, my mom said, AV I 89 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,440 Speaker 1: just need you to go with her the first time, 90 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:52,120 Speaker 1: like I need to know that she's not gonna you 91 00:04:52,160 --> 00:04:54,240 Speaker 1: know that nothing bad will happen to her. And he 92 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:56,640 Speaker 1: came to my first tryout with the Montreal Blitz in 93 00:04:56,640 --> 00:04:59,239 Speaker 1: two thousand and one, and I remember he came back saying, 94 00:04:59,240 --> 00:05:01,760 Speaker 1: it's fantastic. Great, like she got rocked a few times, 95 00:05:01,760 --> 00:05:05,360 Speaker 1: but it's fantastic. A lot of listeners may not know this, 96 00:05:05,640 --> 00:05:09,640 Speaker 1: but they are very vibrant female professional tackle football leagues 97 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:12,919 Speaker 1: in North America. I played quarterback for two years for 98 00:05:12,960 --> 00:05:16,240 Speaker 1: the Montreal Blitz in the i WFL. And he got 99 00:05:16,240 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: to see you play. He did. Yeah. He Um my 100 00:05:19,080 --> 00:05:22,279 Speaker 1: dad passed away about seven years ago, but um, he 101 00:05:22,440 --> 00:05:24,880 Speaker 1: got He traveled to all of my away games in 102 00:05:24,920 --> 00:05:27,360 Speaker 1: the United States, So he would leave work at five pm. 103 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,400 Speaker 1: He would drive thirteen hours straight, watch my game for 104 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 1: three hours, drive thirteen hours back, and he never missed 105 00:05:33,480 --> 00:05:37,400 Speaker 1: an away games. Um, and so he would he would 106 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:39,640 Speaker 1: film my games as well, and he did the play 107 00:05:39,640 --> 00:05:41,520 Speaker 1: by play. So if you watch all my game tape, 108 00:05:41,560 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: it's Rappaport with a bootleg to the left, and you 109 00:05:44,480 --> 00:05:47,400 Speaker 1: know he was doing his best job. Michaels those play 110 00:05:47,440 --> 00:05:57,640 Speaker 1: by play calls earlier in the episode US, Yeah, that 111 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,120 Speaker 1: was him. And he was so into the sport and 112 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 1: so into my involvement. And he was an orthodonist and 113 00:06:03,880 --> 00:06:06,400 Speaker 1: his patients would get really annoyed with him that he 114 00:06:06,400 --> 00:06:09,000 Speaker 1: would talk about my playing career so much. Hey, Sam, 115 00:06:09,040 --> 00:06:10,919 Speaker 1: I've never been able to ask you this question, but 116 00:06:11,080 --> 00:06:15,640 Speaker 1: you're comments here. Was it the contact that you loved 117 00:06:15,680 --> 00:06:18,800 Speaker 1: about the game? Was it the strategy? What was it 118 00:06:18,880 --> 00:06:21,880 Speaker 1: about the game of football that you love playing? I 119 00:06:21,920 --> 00:06:24,440 Speaker 1: think there are two things. The first for me was, 120 00:06:25,120 --> 00:06:27,720 Speaker 1: you know, I work in diversity, equity inclusion. Now, when 121 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:30,920 Speaker 1: you look at a football team, it takes so many 122 00:06:31,040 --> 00:06:34,040 Speaker 1: different types of people and athletic abilities to win. If 123 00:06:34,080 --> 00:06:36,159 Speaker 1: you look at other sports like basketball, they're all tall 124 00:06:36,200 --> 00:06:38,360 Speaker 1: and skinny, right if you look at um every other 125 00:06:38,360 --> 00:06:41,280 Speaker 1: sport there's a traditional makeup of a person. And when 126 00:06:41,279 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 1: I started playing football, there were girls of all shapes 127 00:06:43,760 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: and sizes, every athletic ability. You don't have to be fast, 128 00:06:46,720 --> 00:06:48,240 Speaker 1: or you could be fast. You don't have to be tall, 129 00:06:48,279 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 1: or you could be tall. And I loved how it 130 00:06:50,240 --> 00:06:53,960 Speaker 1: brought people together from such different athletic backgrounds and backgrounds 131 00:06:54,000 --> 00:06:57,400 Speaker 1: together on one field. That was something I loved about it. 132 00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: The other thing, which is why I'm so passionate about 133 00:06:59,279 --> 00:07:01,680 Speaker 1: getting girls to play, is because I was pretty average 134 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:04,760 Speaker 1: at most sports, and I felt really good at football. 135 00:07:05,040 --> 00:07:07,120 Speaker 1: And so, as a young girl growing up who's developing 136 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:10,080 Speaker 1: her confidence, having something that defined me and that made 137 00:07:10,080 --> 00:07:11,960 Speaker 1: me feel like I was good at something, that's what 138 00:07:12,080 --> 00:07:14,160 Speaker 1: made me fall in love. And I think every kid 139 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:16,840 Speaker 1: really should find that thing that makes them tick and 140 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:19,400 Speaker 1: that they love. It strikes me. So we know you're 141 00:07:19,640 --> 00:07:24,640 Speaker 1: as a competitive person. We love to compete, and I 142 00:07:24,760 --> 00:07:26,800 Speaker 1: know that came out in you in sports. You could 143 00:07:26,800 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: see it when you walked on the football field, even 144 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,640 Speaker 1: competing against yours Truly, you got really competitive. And I 145 00:07:33,680 --> 00:07:35,840 Speaker 1: am too. I see that in you. But I also 146 00:07:35,880 --> 00:07:38,200 Speaker 1: see that you use that in what you do every 147 00:07:38,280 --> 00:07:41,760 Speaker 1: day for the NFL. The way you compete, you're competing, 148 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,640 Speaker 1: you're making us better, You're trying to win, You're trying 149 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: to accomplish something, and you do it really with what 150 00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,400 Speaker 1: I call a lot of values about football, which our 151 00:07:49,560 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 1: teamwork and perseverance and going through adversity. All these things 152 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:58,000 Speaker 1: you've had to deal with to build the pipeline that 153 00:07:58,040 --> 00:08:00,840 Speaker 1: you've built. That's all about football, right. You probably learned 154 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:02,640 Speaker 1: a lot of those lessons on the football field, and 155 00:08:02,640 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 1: that's what I That's where I'm really interested. Do you 156 00:08:05,720 --> 00:08:08,480 Speaker 1: use what you've learned on the football field in business, 157 00:08:08,480 --> 00:08:11,360 Speaker 1: because I know I do, no question. As a quarterback, 158 00:08:12,040 --> 00:08:14,400 Speaker 1: sometimes you need to have a game face on when 159 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:16,720 Speaker 1: you know things aren't going well. But the other ten 160 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:18,680 Speaker 1: people on the field, you have to show them that 161 00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:20,920 Speaker 1: you got it. And I talked about this sometimes is 162 00:08:21,160 --> 00:08:24,440 Speaker 1: when I'm very nervous and I'm leading something, I will 163 00:08:24,480 --> 00:08:26,680 Speaker 1: appear as if I got it because that is what 164 00:08:26,720 --> 00:08:28,760 Speaker 1: I had to do in the sport of football. And 165 00:08:28,880 --> 00:08:32,240 Speaker 1: people buy into that and they believe that, and I'll 166 00:08:32,320 --> 00:08:34,720 Speaker 1: rag on you later. So I don't mind this compliment 167 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:36,320 Speaker 1: that I'm gonna give you, But one of my favorite 168 00:08:36,320 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: things about your leadership here is that you set the 169 00:08:38,280 --> 00:08:42,120 Speaker 1: bar so high, and so for me, that's almost like 170 00:08:42,160 --> 00:08:44,360 Speaker 1: a coach mentality. You're telling me what you expect of 171 00:08:44,360 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: me and everyone else who works here. I want to 172 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:49,000 Speaker 1: get there. I want to be at that level. But 173 00:08:49,360 --> 00:08:51,640 Speaker 1: that's part of what you do to get better. Right. 174 00:08:51,840 --> 00:08:55,160 Speaker 1: The objective is not for you to play alone. You're 175 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:58,040 Speaker 1: playing with teammates and your objective is to win. And 176 00:08:58,080 --> 00:09:01,120 Speaker 1: it's a team sport. So the lessons I learned on 177 00:09:01,160 --> 00:09:05,280 Speaker 1: the football field are completely relatable to everything I do 178 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:08,720 Speaker 1: as a commissioner. It's all those values of teamwork and 179 00:09:08,840 --> 00:09:14,240 Speaker 1: adversity and perseverance and diversity in the sense of everybody 180 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,160 Speaker 1: has a roll, everybody has a way to contribute to 181 00:09:17,440 --> 00:09:20,880 Speaker 1: a bigger purpose of winning and competing is something I love. 182 00:09:20,960 --> 00:09:22,959 Speaker 1: I love people who compete. Can I tell you one 183 00:09:22,960 --> 00:09:25,280 Speaker 1: more thing I love about this sport. There's no other 184 00:09:25,360 --> 00:09:29,199 Speaker 1: sport where every single person on the field is responsible 185 00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:31,840 Speaker 1: for the success of a play. It's never just the 186 00:09:31,840 --> 00:09:34,360 Speaker 1: wide receiver who caught the touchdown. It's never just the quarterback. 187 00:09:34,440 --> 00:09:36,680 Speaker 1: It has to be all eleven people working in unison 188 00:09:36,720 --> 00:09:38,559 Speaker 1: to make it happen. And basketball, you can steal the 189 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:40,920 Speaker 1: ball and fast, breakdown and lay up and that was 190 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,200 Speaker 1: all you. Right, there's nothing that's all you. And I 191 00:09:44,280 --> 00:09:46,720 Speaker 1: know that's important to you as a leader as well, 192 00:09:46,800 --> 00:09:48,760 Speaker 1: is you never make anything about you. I'm gonna try 193 00:09:48,760 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 1: to make this about you, but you never want to 194 00:09:50,400 --> 00:09:53,840 Speaker 1: make anything about you. So that high school football field 195 00:09:53,920 --> 00:09:57,040 Speaker 1: I mentioned at the top, it's where Roger Goodell played 196 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:00,880 Speaker 1: football and where my lifelong dream became a reality. Not 197 00:10:01,000 --> 00:10:04,600 Speaker 1: in an instant, mind you. This is no overnight success story, 198 00:10:05,120 --> 00:10:13,960 Speaker 1: but it is a great story. This podcast is sponsored 199 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:18,800 Speaker 1: by Kendroll. Kendrell designs, builds, manages, and modernizes the mission 200 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: critical technology systems that the world depends on every day. 201 00:10:22,600 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: Working side by side with their customers, they imagine things differently. 202 00:10:26,800 --> 00:10:31,080 Speaker 1: By forging new strategic partnerships, they unlock new possibilities, creating 203 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:35,240 Speaker 1: a world powered by healthy digital systems alive with opportunity, 204 00:10:35,320 --> 00:10:38,800 Speaker 1: oxygen to innovation, and energy to change the world. Kendrell 205 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,079 Speaker 1: the heart of Progress. We're onto the divisional round of 206 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,680 Speaker 1: the NFL Playoffs with Draft Kings sports Book, an official 207 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:49,080 Speaker 1: sports betting partner of the NFL counting down to Super 208 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:52,599 Speaker 1: Bowl fifty six, New customers can get fifty six to 209 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:56,080 Speaker 1: one odds on any team that just five dollars and 210 00:10:56,120 --> 00:10:59,320 Speaker 1: get two d and eighty in free bets if your 211 00:10:59,320 --> 00:11:02,280 Speaker 1: team wins. Download the Draft Kings sports Book app now, 212 00:11:02,559 --> 00:11:06,040 Speaker 1: use promo code d K one and get fifty six 213 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:09,680 Speaker 1: to one odds on any NFL team that's just five 214 00:11:09,720 --> 00:11:13,200 Speaker 1: bucks and when two hundred and eighty in free bets. 215 00:11:13,280 --> 00:11:16,400 Speaker 1: If your team wins, that's promo code d K one 216 00:11:16,480 --> 00:11:19,680 Speaker 1: for fifty six to one odds at Draft Kings sports Book, 217 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,240 Speaker 1: an official sports betting partner of the NFL. Twenty one 218 00:11:23,240 --> 00:11:26,920 Speaker 1: plus SMINA. Mage and location requirements vary by jurisdiction. See 219 00:11:26,960 --> 00:11:29,720 Speaker 1: DraftKings dot com slash sports Book for the full list 220 00:11:29,720 --> 00:11:34,319 Speaker 1: of requirements and state specific responsible gaming resources. BOYD were 221 00:11:34,360 --> 00:11:38,800 Speaker 1: prohibited gambling problem called one hundred gambler. In tennessee call 222 00:11:38,880 --> 00:11:42,440 Speaker 1: or text the t N Redline eight eight nine nine 223 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 1: seven eight nine. In Connecticut, call eight eight eight seven 224 00:11:45,360 --> 00:11:50,120 Speaker 1: eight nine seven seven seven seven, or visit CCPG dot 225 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,400 Speaker 1: org slash chat. In New York call eight seven seven 226 00:11:54,480 --> 00:11:58,480 Speaker 1: eight hope and Why, or text hope and Why for 227 00:11:58,720 --> 00:12:05,200 Speaker 1: six seven, three six nine. Like me, the Commissioner has 228 00:12:05,240 --> 00:12:08,080 Speaker 1: been football obsessed for as long as he can remember. 229 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:10,439 Speaker 1: He used to sleep with a leather football instead of 230 00:12:10,480 --> 00:12:13,240 Speaker 1: a Teddy bear. He says. The person who drove him 231 00:12:13,280 --> 00:12:16,360 Speaker 1: to get better was his mom, Jeanie Goodell. They were 232 00:12:16,480 --> 00:12:19,000 Speaker 1: very close and the Commissioner lived with her until the 233 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:21,400 Speaker 1: day she died of breast cancer. Asked him to talk 234 00:12:21,400 --> 00:12:24,440 Speaker 1: about their relationship. Oh, geez, we are You're not hitting 235 00:12:24,440 --> 00:12:29,520 Speaker 1: me hard. Um. You know, everybody talks about my family, 236 00:12:29,559 --> 00:12:32,720 Speaker 1: which a huge influence on me. Um. My dad was 237 00:12:32,920 --> 00:12:35,439 Speaker 1: a public figure. So people talk about your dad was 238 00:12:35,600 --> 00:12:38,720 Speaker 1: United States Center and our congressman, and what did you 239 00:12:38,800 --> 00:12:42,120 Speaker 1: learn from him? But you know, I always say the 240 00:12:42,160 --> 00:12:45,520 Speaker 1: person I learned the most from is my mom. And 241 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: I think my brothers would all say the same. She uh, 242 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:51,959 Speaker 1: Roger needed a beat. I didn't intend to do it, 243 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:55,360 Speaker 1: but I made the commissioner of the NFL cry. My 244 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:00,880 Speaker 1: mom was a real fighter and a competitive person, someone 245 00:13:00,920 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: who expected people to to to not let others down. 246 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: She never did, and she would always, um make everyone 247 00:13:09,520 --> 00:13:12,680 Speaker 1: better about her. And so probably a lot of things 248 00:13:12,720 --> 00:13:16,600 Speaker 1: you've talked about before. That's where I got it. You know. 249 00:13:16,760 --> 00:13:21,360 Speaker 1: She she had that strength, UM, and that courage and 250 00:13:21,400 --> 00:13:23,600 Speaker 1: nothing scared of her. She actually talked about running for 251 00:13:23,640 --> 00:13:27,760 Speaker 1: Congress UM at one point in her herself, which was 252 00:13:28,000 --> 00:13:31,880 Speaker 1: unheard of at that time. UM. And unfortunately she got 253 00:13:31,880 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 1: sick and that never came to fruition. But she could 254 00:13:35,520 --> 00:13:40,120 Speaker 1: have been a great congress person. UM. But she taught 255 00:13:40,200 --> 00:13:43,560 Speaker 1: us so much about life and and frankly sports. She 256 00:13:43,760 --> 00:13:46,240 Speaker 1: was always there, and so is my dad. By the way, 257 00:13:46,240 --> 00:13:49,520 Speaker 1: my dad was similar in yours wherever he was, and 258 00:13:49,559 --> 00:13:51,480 Speaker 1: he lived in Washington a large part of his career 259 00:13:51,480 --> 00:13:53,760 Speaker 1: and we were in New York. He never missed a 260 00:13:53,840 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: game and I'll never forget it. And I always think 261 00:13:57,600 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: we have to be there. Jane and I talked about 262 00:14:00,040 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: be there for our kids at the time that are important, 263 00:14:02,480 --> 00:14:06,160 Speaker 1: and they know we're there when it's important UM. And 264 00:14:06,200 --> 00:14:09,000 Speaker 1: they were always supported and I had that from my family, 265 00:14:09,800 --> 00:14:11,719 Speaker 1: but my mom in particular. If you ever want to 266 00:14:11,760 --> 00:14:13,640 Speaker 1: go out in the backyard and throw a football, she 267 00:14:13,760 --> 00:14:15,600 Speaker 1: was the first one to sign up. And by the way, 268 00:14:15,640 --> 00:14:18,160 Speaker 1: she was the hardest coach I've ever had because she 269 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,560 Speaker 1: I could hear her voice when I was playing sports. 270 00:14:20,800 --> 00:14:22,880 Speaker 1: I could hear a voice on the football field from 271 00:14:22,920 --> 00:14:26,840 Speaker 1: fifty yards away. And by the way, she wasn't necessarily 272 00:14:27,600 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: in a possitive way. She would get after me, and 273 00:14:30,800 --> 00:14:32,640 Speaker 1: you know, she would always go to the coaches afterwards 274 00:14:32,640 --> 00:14:35,680 Speaker 1: and say, what's he not doing right? What you know, 275 00:14:35,800 --> 00:14:39,040 Speaker 1: get after him, make sure he's doing it. And so 276 00:14:39,080 --> 00:14:41,720 Speaker 1: we got we got a lot from my mother's relationship. 277 00:14:41,800 --> 00:14:45,440 Speaker 1: You played three positions on the football field, right quarterback, 278 00:14:45,480 --> 00:14:50,760 Speaker 1: tight end, at defensive back, defensive back. Um, I probably 279 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:52,760 Speaker 1: played anything they told me to. I mean, I was 280 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:54,720 Speaker 1: a running back going into my senior year and they 281 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:56,960 Speaker 1: told me I had to switch the tight end because 282 00:14:57,880 --> 00:14:59,880 Speaker 1: we had a great running back who switched over from 283 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:03,480 Speaker 1: another school and he was better running back. And I said, 284 00:15:03,560 --> 00:15:05,400 Speaker 1: that's where I should go. A great story about your 285 00:15:05,440 --> 00:15:08,400 Speaker 1: mom from someone who watched you play high school football 286 00:15:08,440 --> 00:15:10,480 Speaker 1: that I met, was saying that your older brother, Timmy 287 00:15:10,480 --> 00:15:13,120 Speaker 1: played o line and your mom would be in the 288 00:15:13,160 --> 00:15:14,920 Speaker 1: stands watching and people would go up to her after 289 00:15:14,960 --> 00:15:17,160 Speaker 1: and say, hey, Jeanie, you know Tim had a great game, 290 00:15:17,200 --> 00:15:19,560 Speaker 1: and she'd say, what do you mean he missed five blocks? 291 00:15:20,200 --> 00:15:22,360 Speaker 1: And that would be her response to them, right, And 292 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,600 Speaker 1: but I you know, I think that's so reflective somewhat 293 00:15:25,640 --> 00:15:28,120 Speaker 1: of your leadership here where it's certainly not that you 294 00:15:28,200 --> 00:15:30,560 Speaker 1: focus on the negative, but it's your expectation of us 295 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: and what you expect from your folks is as close 296 00:15:33,200 --> 00:15:35,200 Speaker 1: to amazing as we can get right, and you feel 297 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,080 Speaker 1: that all over three four or five part Well, I 298 00:15:38,480 --> 00:15:40,440 Speaker 1: like to say, if you've heard me say, I believe 299 00:15:40,440 --> 00:15:44,200 Speaker 1: in better and you know the NFL can always get better. 300 00:15:44,520 --> 00:15:47,200 Speaker 1: And I think that's what my mom was saying, is that, yeah, 301 00:15:47,320 --> 00:15:49,360 Speaker 1: maybe he played well, maybe he did a lot of 302 00:15:49,400 --> 00:15:51,760 Speaker 1: great things in the field, but he missed five blocks. 303 00:15:52,840 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: It's what I say. You have to be your own 304 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:57,720 Speaker 1: harshest critic, and the people around you have to be there. 305 00:15:58,480 --> 00:16:01,480 Speaker 1: That's not that's not being devan my view. That's trying 306 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: to be constructive and trying to be helpful of saying 307 00:16:04,200 --> 00:16:08,240 Speaker 1: you have more potential to reach. And that's what I 308 00:16:08,280 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: think my mom wanted for us, is to reach your potential. 309 00:16:11,720 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: She didn't think I had a lot of potential, by 310 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:16,320 Speaker 1: the way, for a long time, but hopefully I surprised 311 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:18,440 Speaker 1: you a little bit. The Commissioner and I both knew 312 00:16:18,560 --> 00:16:21,160 Speaker 1: at a very young age we wanted to work in football. 313 00:16:21,320 --> 00:16:23,840 Speaker 1: My mom recently found something I wrote in ninth grade. 314 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:27,520 Speaker 1: The assignment was to write about my passion. I wrote quote, 315 00:16:27,640 --> 00:16:30,120 Speaker 1: if I'm not praying for my favorite team to crush 316 00:16:30,160 --> 00:16:33,520 Speaker 1: their biggest rivals, then I'm dreaming of playing football, making 317 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,120 Speaker 1: the winning catch, running thirty yards with the ball in 318 00:16:36,160 --> 00:16:38,440 Speaker 1: my arms, and winning the game. So, Sam, you have 319 00:16:38,520 --> 00:16:41,680 Speaker 1: this incredible passion for the game, your parents are supportive, 320 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,520 Speaker 1: and you're going in your early twenties to apply for 321 00:16:44,520 --> 00:16:47,640 Speaker 1: an NFL internship. So listen up, kids, if you're applying 322 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:49,800 Speaker 1: for a job, this is a good tip on how 323 00:16:49,840 --> 00:16:52,600 Speaker 1: to get a job. Tell me what your application was like. 324 00:16:52,800 --> 00:16:55,880 Speaker 1: So I was a young woman in Canada, no connections 325 00:16:55,920 --> 00:16:58,400 Speaker 1: to the NFL whatsoever. Just knew that I would I 326 00:16:58,440 --> 00:17:00,320 Speaker 1: would still be trying to the state of it into 327 00:17:00,320 --> 00:17:02,520 Speaker 1: this building. So I decided that I had to do 328 00:17:02,640 --> 00:17:06,119 Speaker 1: something gimmicky to stand out, something that would, you know, 329 00:17:06,200 --> 00:17:08,760 Speaker 1: separate me from the thousands of resumes that apply for that. 330 00:17:08,880 --> 00:17:12,040 Speaker 1: So I sent a picture of myself in my tackle 331 00:17:12,040 --> 00:17:16,200 Speaker 1: football gear with my resume, and with that I sent 332 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:19,240 Speaker 1: a football, And on the football, I wrote, in a 333 00:17:19,320 --> 00:17:22,920 Speaker 1: sharpie what other quarterback could accurately deliver a ball three 334 00:17:23,359 --> 00:17:26,800 Speaker 1: and eighty six miles, which was the distance between my 335 00:17:26,880 --> 00:17:30,320 Speaker 1: college in Montreal and New York City. And you know, 336 00:17:30,400 --> 00:17:33,240 Speaker 1: I sent it and I was like, you know, you know, 337 00:17:33,359 --> 00:17:35,240 Speaker 1: I don't give this a high chance of working, but 338 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:37,400 Speaker 1: you know it worked. It made me stand out, and 339 00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:40,120 Speaker 1: I started my first NFL internship in two thousand and three. 340 00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:43,720 Speaker 1: And Roger, that's when you met Sam. Yeah, but I'm 341 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:47,359 Speaker 1: relating to her story because I'm also an intern and 342 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,120 Speaker 1: to your point, you know, you have to find ways 343 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:52,840 Speaker 1: to stand out. But Roger didn't mail a football to 344 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:57,520 Speaker 1: get his first job. He mailed letters, a lot of letters. Yeah, 345 00:17:57,520 --> 00:18:00,359 Speaker 1: I wrote over fifty I think he's fifty three. Have'm 346 00:18:00,359 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: actually over in that desk over there. And I got 347 00:18:03,119 --> 00:18:05,359 Speaker 1: rejected by every single one of them. And some of 348 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:07,680 Speaker 1: them are my bosses today, by the way, and I've 349 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: showed that letter to many of them. Your boss is 350 00:18:10,400 --> 00:18:15,040 Speaker 1: being the owners owners executives. Um. You know. I was 351 00:18:15,040 --> 00:18:19,000 Speaker 1: turned down to the Commissioner's office many times, but eventually 352 00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,800 Speaker 1: someone made a mistake of returning a phone call to 353 00:18:21,840 --> 00:18:24,240 Speaker 1: me and said, yeah, sure, you know, if you're ever 354 00:18:24,240 --> 00:18:26,120 Speaker 1: in New York, let me know, And I said, I'm 355 00:18:26,160 --> 00:18:28,600 Speaker 1: in New York. He said, okay, well can you come 356 00:18:28,600 --> 00:18:30,960 Speaker 1: buy at eight? And I said sure. The problem I 357 00:18:31,040 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 1: was in Pittsburgh and it was about six o'clock at night, 358 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:35,640 Speaker 1: so I had to drive all night to get there 359 00:18:36,359 --> 00:18:39,480 Speaker 1: and showed up at the door, and I think he 360 00:18:39,600 --> 00:18:42,840 Speaker 1: was a little surprised, and UM, I just kept after 361 00:18:42,920 --> 00:18:45,720 Speaker 1: him and I said, there's always a fine line between 362 00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:50,000 Speaker 1: being persistent and being a pain in the ass, and 363 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:52,960 Speaker 1: I'm sure I was both, but I think you have 364 00:18:53,040 --> 00:18:56,200 Speaker 1: to demonstrate that when you want something so badly, when 365 00:18:56,240 --> 00:18:59,919 Speaker 1: you're passionate about something, and Sam, you are like passion 366 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:02,000 Speaker 1: I put number one, two, and three on your list. 367 00:19:02,480 --> 00:19:06,600 Speaker 1: When you're passionate about something, you make it happen. And 368 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:09,520 Speaker 1: that's that, to me, is a difference between winners and losers. Sam. 369 00:19:09,560 --> 00:19:13,440 Speaker 1: So fast forward after you do your internship, several years later, 370 00:19:13,480 --> 00:19:17,680 Speaker 1: you're working for in youth football for USA Football. UM, 371 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:19,320 Speaker 1: I'm not sure we were trying to remember. I don't 372 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:22,359 Speaker 1: think you and I had ever met, but we belong 373 00:19:22,480 --> 00:19:24,119 Speaker 1: Roger and I belong to a church. And there was 374 00:19:24,160 --> 00:19:26,560 Speaker 1: this really nice youth minister who came in, nice young 375 00:19:26,600 --> 00:19:28,600 Speaker 1: guy who said, I, Hi, I'm brand new and I'm 376 00:19:28,600 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 1: trying to get middle school kids to come to church, 377 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:32,640 Speaker 1: but they all want to play sports. So if anybody 378 00:19:32,680 --> 00:19:34,760 Speaker 1: here has an idea about how to get kids to 379 00:19:34,800 --> 00:19:37,040 Speaker 1: come to church, please let me know. And so I 380 00:19:37,080 --> 00:19:38,800 Speaker 1: felt for him, and so I walked off to him 381 00:19:38,840 --> 00:19:42,160 Speaker 1: afterwards and said, hi, um, my husband works in football, 382 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,119 Speaker 1: and maybe you could do a flag football tournament and 383 00:19:45,160 --> 00:19:47,040 Speaker 1: maybe he could come. And he said great, what does 384 00:19:47,080 --> 00:19:49,320 Speaker 1: he do? And I said, well, he's the commissioner of 385 00:19:49,320 --> 00:19:51,800 Speaker 1: the NFL and he said, oh, okay, I'm a soccer guy, 386 00:19:51,840 --> 00:19:54,159 Speaker 1: but that sounds fun. And so I went home and 387 00:19:54,200 --> 00:19:57,679 Speaker 1: I said, um, hey, Roger, I think I volunteered you 388 00:19:57,920 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: to run a flag football clinic because the youth minister 389 00:20:00,840 --> 00:20:03,280 Speaker 1: isn't really a football guy, So could you do that 390 00:20:03,320 --> 00:20:07,399 Speaker 1: for the church and it might be nice? And he said, okay, sure. 391 00:20:07,880 --> 00:20:10,560 Speaker 1: Two things. One, I have no idea how to run 392 00:20:10,560 --> 00:20:13,760 Speaker 1: a flag football tournament. And to I'll only do it 393 00:20:14,000 --> 00:20:16,479 Speaker 1: if girls can come to Our daughters will be there, 394 00:20:16,480 --> 00:20:18,440 Speaker 1: their middle schoolers, so I want to make sure it's 395 00:20:18,480 --> 00:20:21,040 Speaker 1: for boys and girls. So he's a few weeks later 396 00:20:21,119 --> 00:20:23,880 Speaker 1: said um, okay, yes, we've got some flags, we've got 397 00:20:23,880 --> 00:20:26,480 Speaker 1: some jerseys. How many kids are coming. I said, I 398 00:20:26,520 --> 00:20:29,639 Speaker 1: think about forty five. And he said, okay, I'm bringing 399 00:20:29,680 --> 00:20:31,760 Speaker 1: in a ringer because I don't know how to run this. 400 00:20:31,840 --> 00:20:34,679 Speaker 1: I'm bringing in Sam, who is a former quarterback who 401 00:20:34,720 --> 00:20:36,600 Speaker 1: can do it. And I said, great, Sam, Sam will 402 00:20:36,640 --> 00:20:37,920 Speaker 1: be there to do it. I don't have to worry 403 00:20:37,920 --> 00:20:41,520 Speaker 1: about anything but bringing snacks and making sure the flags 404 00:20:42,040 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: work right, the velcro is good. And so we get 405 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,720 Speaker 1: down to the field and Roger goes like tearing across 406 00:20:47,760 --> 00:20:50,120 Speaker 1: his high school football field, which I say, is like 407 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:53,080 Speaker 1: where all the greatness happened. That's what he tells me. 408 00:20:54,560 --> 00:20:56,600 Speaker 1: We're down there on this field. He goes tearing across 409 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 1: a football field to embrace this person, say am, and 410 00:21:01,000 --> 00:21:05,080 Speaker 1: I said, my mind has been blown. Sam is a 411 00:21:05,160 --> 00:21:09,320 Speaker 1: girl with a long blonde ponytail, and my daughter's eyes 412 00:21:09,359 --> 00:21:11,600 Speaker 1: were as big as saucers. By the way out of 413 00:21:11,600 --> 00:21:14,200 Speaker 1: the forty five, I think we had like thirty nine 414 00:21:14,240 --> 00:21:17,600 Speaker 1: boys and six girls, and you came over. You took 415 00:21:18,280 --> 00:21:20,240 Speaker 1: then they split them up into giants and Jets with 416 00:21:20,240 --> 00:21:23,160 Speaker 1: the little flag jerseys. You took Jets. He took giants. 417 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:26,280 Speaker 1: He was quarterbacking the other team, and Roger, you can 418 00:21:26,320 --> 00:21:30,000 Speaker 1: find then is this accurate or not. She kicked your 419 00:21:30,080 --> 00:21:32,680 Speaker 1: ass all over that. No, now you're off the base. 420 00:21:32,800 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 1: But no, but that we were competing, we were permanent quarterbacks. Right. 421 00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,520 Speaker 1: Sam is an incredible athlete. We can't agree on that. 422 00:21:42,600 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 1: Sam can really playing it. Let's just put it that way. 423 00:21:45,680 --> 00:21:47,679 Speaker 1: So I like to teaser. Then I'm better, but I 424 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:50,159 Speaker 1: know I'm not. But it's okay. I would just like 425 00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:54,280 Speaker 1: the teaser. You could imagine though, those six girls to 426 00:21:54,320 --> 00:21:57,080 Speaker 1: your point not to start twin girls, when they saw 427 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:00,400 Speaker 1: Sam running this event and throwing the football like at 428 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:04,159 Speaker 1: talk about opening your eyes to the world, and I 429 00:22:04,200 --> 00:22:07,679 Speaker 1: want to say the boys eyes were his big saucers too, 430 00:22:07,720 --> 00:22:10,160 Speaker 1: Like it's just as important of the messages I think 431 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,720 Speaker 1: for young men to see as well. Right, I was 432 00:22:12,760 --> 00:22:14,439 Speaker 1: going to go to that point. You're ahead of me, 433 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:16,440 Speaker 1: but I agree with that because I do think they 434 00:22:16,600 --> 00:22:20,800 Speaker 1: saw something saying, wow, she can throw a football like that. Um, 435 00:22:20,840 --> 00:22:22,960 Speaker 1: I do agree it opened her eyes. I heard one 436 00:22:22,960 --> 00:22:25,639 Speaker 1: of them say she's kicking that old man's ass. I'm kidding. 437 00:22:26,520 --> 00:22:29,399 Speaker 1: It's our biggest dedate nineteen years and running who on 438 00:22:29,480 --> 00:22:37,080 Speaker 1: the flag football game. I'm a journalist, I know the facts, 439 00:22:37,160 --> 00:22:41,960 Speaker 1: recollections in any case, the reason I'm telling this story 440 00:22:42,200 --> 00:22:45,600 Speaker 1: is because as the game ended and Sam's team one, 441 00:22:46,160 --> 00:22:48,199 Speaker 1: I walked up to her and said, I think we 442 00:22:48,200 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: should be friends. That was amazing. And Roger came up 443 00:22:52,040 --> 00:22:54,800 Speaker 1: and said, Sam, what's going on, how's youth football? How's 444 00:22:54,800 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 1: your job? We miss you at the league. What are 445 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:01,200 Speaker 1: you thinking? And Sam rapp a part said, was brave 446 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:04,639 Speaker 1: enough to say to the commissioner, Well, you know what, 447 00:23:04,760 --> 00:23:07,359 Speaker 1: I'm glad you asked. I have a dream. I have 448 00:23:07,400 --> 00:23:10,639 Speaker 1: a dream because I know all these smart, talented women 449 00:23:10,840 --> 00:23:14,200 Speaker 1: who have great football minds, and there is no way 450 00:23:14,320 --> 00:23:17,160 Speaker 1: for them to get into the National Football League. There's 451 00:23:17,160 --> 00:23:21,000 Speaker 1: no entrance. I would love to build a pipeline. Is 452 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:24,119 Speaker 1: that accurate? It's accurate? And I told him I'd call 453 00:23:24,200 --> 00:23:26,960 Speaker 1: him on Monday and the rest is history. But yeah, 454 00:23:27,200 --> 00:23:29,879 Speaker 1: you know, shot my shot and went up to Commissioner 455 00:23:29,880 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: Adell at the time and said, you know, I see, 456 00:23:32,920 --> 00:23:34,520 Speaker 1: I see a way that we can be better, and 457 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:36,720 Speaker 1: you always challenge us to be better, so let me 458 00:23:36,720 --> 00:23:38,879 Speaker 1: present this idea to you. And what he doesn't know 459 00:23:39,000 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 1: is it was already fully baked. I had the entire 460 00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:43,520 Speaker 1: strategic plan ready to go because I know this guy, right, 461 00:23:43,840 --> 00:23:45,359 Speaker 1: I'm not. He doesn't want to hear. I have this 462 00:23:45,400 --> 00:23:47,920 Speaker 1: crazy idea, and I really had a full strategic plan 463 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,880 Speaker 1: bake because I saw something that I felt could make 464 00:23:50,960 --> 00:23:53,199 Speaker 1: us better, and that was the gates needed to be 465 00:23:53,280 --> 00:23:56,600 Speaker 1: open for these thousands of women that are either playing 466 00:23:56,600 --> 00:23:59,760 Speaker 1: football or enjoying football in this country to get in 467 00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: the game because previously they were disenfranchised. Not anyone's fault, 468 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:05,960 Speaker 1: they weren't applying. No one was thinking that women belong 469 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:08,600 Speaker 1: in these positions. But everything changed when we were able 470 00:24:08,640 --> 00:24:12,240 Speaker 1: to open the gates and create a pipeline for women 471 00:24:12,280 --> 00:24:14,119 Speaker 1: to be involved in the sport that they love just 472 00:24:14,160 --> 00:24:17,520 Speaker 1: as much as guys do. So I've said it out loud, 473 00:24:17,520 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: this seemingly crazy but not so crazy idea of hiring 474 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,040 Speaker 1: women as coaches and scouts and other football positions in 475 00:24:25,040 --> 00:24:28,320 Speaker 1: the NFL, the most male sport on the planet. I'm 476 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 1: not afraid of challenges, and we're not going to shy 477 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:39,880 Speaker 1: away from talking about them. 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This podcast is sponsored 500 00:26:02,760 --> 00:26:07,560 Speaker 1: by Kindrel Kindrel Designs builds, manages, and modernizes the mission 501 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:11,080 Speaker 1: critical technology systems that the world depends on every day. 502 00:26:11,240 --> 00:26:14,680 Speaker 1: Working side by side with their customers, they imagine things differently. 503 00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:19,359 Speaker 1: By forging new strategic partnerships, they unlock new possibilities, creating 504 00:26:19,359 --> 00:26:23,359 Speaker 1: a world powered by healthy digital systems, alive with opportunity, 505 00:26:23,359 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: oxygen to innovation, and energy to change the world. Kindrel 506 00:26:27,560 --> 00:26:32,440 Speaker 1: the heart of progress. It's never been easy to land 507 00:26:32,440 --> 00:26:34,719 Speaker 1: a job as a coach in the NFL. But if 508 00:26:34,760 --> 00:26:37,000 Speaker 1: a young man wanted to coach and he had the 509 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:39,919 Speaker 1: talent to do so, he had a path. Many of 510 00:26:39,920 --> 00:26:42,040 Speaker 1: them played in college and moved on to work with 511 00:26:42,080 --> 00:26:45,600 Speaker 1: their friends. Whenever an opening came up, someone would say, 512 00:26:45,800 --> 00:26:48,680 Speaker 1: I know a guy, let's interview him. If a young 513 00:26:48,720 --> 00:26:51,200 Speaker 1: woman wanted to coach in the NFL, it was much 514 00:26:51,240 --> 00:26:55,160 Speaker 1: more difficult, nearly impossible. She might have played women's tackle 515 00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:58,080 Speaker 1: football after work and coached high school kids to keep 516 00:26:58,119 --> 00:27:01,200 Speaker 1: her passion alive, but she didn't have the same contacts 517 00:27:01,280 --> 00:27:04,400 Speaker 1: and didn't have anything close to a direct path. So 518 00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:07,119 Speaker 1: we created a pipeline to get her in front of 519 00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:10,160 Speaker 1: the right people. So Roger says, call me Monday. You say, 520 00:27:10,160 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: I'm calling you Monday. My first question was going to 521 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:14,439 Speaker 1: be did you have a plan of where you were like, 522 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:18,040 Speaker 1: Holy cow, this my my dream actually might happen for 523 00:27:18,080 --> 00:27:20,119 Speaker 1: some people, it's an overnight thing. You auditioned for a 524 00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:23,639 Speaker 1: Broadway musical and suddenly you're a big star. This process, 525 00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,639 Speaker 1: obviously was not going to be an overnight success, and 526 00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:29,200 Speaker 1: it was gonna take time and a lot of thinking 527 00:27:29,240 --> 00:27:31,239 Speaker 1: and they're gonna be a lot of challenges. When you 528 00:27:31,280 --> 00:27:35,639 Speaker 1: guys first met on it, how did it go? And Roger, 529 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:37,840 Speaker 1: that's a big leap for you, right to make a 530 00:27:37,880 --> 00:27:40,560 Speaker 1: significant change to the game. Well, it really wasn't that 531 00:27:40,600 --> 00:27:46,440 Speaker 1: big leap, because, um, I believe that in Sam's passion 532 00:27:46,480 --> 00:27:50,119 Speaker 1: and her courage and and her plan, frankly, and that 533 00:27:50,240 --> 00:27:53,080 Speaker 1: there were was a lot of talent out there that 534 00:27:53,640 --> 00:27:56,800 Speaker 1: had the same passion for the game that we had 535 00:27:56,880 --> 00:28:01,320 Speaker 1: just frankly overlooked. I don't think people saw women in 536 00:28:01,320 --> 00:28:05,320 Speaker 1: that position, and we had to change that perception. I 537 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: always talk about it when people come into the NFL, 538 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,000 Speaker 1: how do you create value? And there's a lot of 539 00:28:10,080 --> 00:28:16,960 Speaker 1: values that people of different genders, different colors, different you know, 540 00:28:17,040 --> 00:28:19,959 Speaker 1: diversity is what makes us stronger, and that's really a 541 00:28:20,000 --> 00:28:24,919 Speaker 1: core belief of the NFL and mind personally, and I 542 00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,159 Speaker 1: think we were just on tapping talent that was going 543 00:28:27,160 --> 00:28:29,960 Speaker 1: to make the NFL better. It's analogous to why coaches 544 00:28:30,000 --> 00:28:33,199 Speaker 1: like to go to internationally defined players, right. It's like 545 00:28:33,280 --> 00:28:36,120 Speaker 1: all the best football talent is not in the United States, right, 546 00:28:36,160 --> 00:28:38,240 Speaker 1: it's everywhere. And if you consider everywhere, you're going to 547 00:28:38,320 --> 00:28:41,840 Speaker 1: have the best players. Coaches like Ron Rivera, Sean McDermott, 548 00:28:42,000 --> 00:28:43,920 Speaker 1: Bruce Arians, they look at this and they say, we 549 00:28:43,960 --> 00:28:46,960 Speaker 1: have not considered half the population when we're hiring talent, 550 00:28:47,560 --> 00:28:50,440 Speaker 1: and if we consider everyone, that the criminal rise to 551 00:28:50,520 --> 00:28:52,600 Speaker 1: the top. It's about winning, it's about getting the best 552 00:28:52,600 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 1: people in the job. And if you're forgetting half of 553 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:58,000 Speaker 1: the population, any half of any population, there's no question 554 00:28:58,000 --> 00:29:00,520 Speaker 1: that you're not getting the best talent. I think we're 555 00:29:01,080 --> 00:29:05,320 Speaker 1: the NFL hadn't is really looked at the fact that 556 00:29:05,360 --> 00:29:09,400 Speaker 1: there are people that we just overlooked that they weren't 557 00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,880 Speaker 1: part of the game. They weren't either playing it or 558 00:29:12,280 --> 00:29:15,000 Speaker 1: people looked at as a male dominant sport. And when 559 00:29:15,040 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 1: people really said listen, there's really passionate, talented people that 560 00:29:20,480 --> 00:29:23,360 Speaker 1: can make our game better and help us win. All 561 00:29:23,400 --> 00:29:25,000 Speaker 1: we had to do is given them a chance to 562 00:29:25,160 --> 00:29:28,800 Speaker 1: actually go through the meritocracy and earn it. And I 563 00:29:28,800 --> 00:29:31,800 Speaker 1: think that's what Sam's created. If we build it, they 564 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:34,960 Speaker 1: will come. We created what we call the Women's Forum. 565 00:29:35,160 --> 00:29:38,760 Speaker 1: Each year, my colleague Vanessa Hutchinson and I invite forty 566 00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 1: women with college football experience to spend time listening to 567 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:47,960 Speaker 1: and talking to NFL head coaches, general managers and owners. So, Sam, 568 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,040 Speaker 1: how do you get buy in? Was there a moment 569 00:29:50,120 --> 00:29:53,760 Speaker 1: where a head coach raised his hand and said I'll 570 00:29:53,800 --> 00:29:56,800 Speaker 1: show up. So the first year we got Kim Pagoula 571 00:29:56,960 --> 00:29:59,920 Speaker 1: owner of the Buffalo Bills, and Ron rivera head coach 572 00:30:00,320 --> 00:30:02,360 Speaker 1: of the Carolina Panthers at the time now the Washington 573 00:30:02,360 --> 00:30:05,360 Speaker 1: football team, and both of them took a shot on this, 574 00:30:05,480 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 1: and I give them a lot of credit for that 575 00:30:07,000 --> 00:30:10,400 Speaker 1: because they didn't know who I was. I cold emailed 576 00:30:10,440 --> 00:30:12,680 Speaker 1: them and asked them if they would participate, and they 577 00:30:12,680 --> 00:30:15,080 Speaker 1: both said yes. They both flew down to Florida we 578 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:17,520 Speaker 1: hosted at Pro Bowl at the time, and they said, 579 00:30:17,560 --> 00:30:19,880 Speaker 1: I want to be a part of this. And they 580 00:30:19,960 --> 00:30:23,000 Speaker 1: really helped lend credibility to this effort because since then 581 00:30:23,040 --> 00:30:25,920 Speaker 1: both of them have said we're involved every year for 582 00:30:25,960 --> 00:30:28,600 Speaker 1: this count on us every year and like Roger said, 583 00:30:28,600 --> 00:30:32,440 Speaker 1: these are two incredibly busy people who are very busy 584 00:30:32,480 --> 00:30:34,200 Speaker 1: at that time of year too, but say we will 585 00:30:34,240 --> 00:30:37,040 Speaker 1: always lend you know, our time to this effort. And 586 00:30:37,040 --> 00:30:39,880 Speaker 1: they've been involved in the program for five years. Vanessa, 587 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:43,360 Speaker 1: who's a senior manager in the football operations department, has 588 00:30:43,400 --> 00:30:46,280 Speaker 1: been my secret weapon. You had said at one point, 589 00:30:46,280 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 1: I believe had a phone call when we were going 590 00:30:47,720 --> 00:30:49,400 Speaker 1: back and forth planning, like wouldn't it be great if 591 00:30:49,400 --> 00:30:51,320 Speaker 1: we could get you know, Bill Belichick to be in 592 00:30:51,320 --> 00:30:54,400 Speaker 1: a breakout session, and I said, I think we can 593 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:57,920 Speaker 1: maybe do it. And we were very strategic about it though. 594 00:30:58,120 --> 00:31:00,440 Speaker 1: The way we went about it. We got to Vrabel 595 00:31:00,480 --> 00:31:02,600 Speaker 1: on board. First, we had emailed coach of Rabel and 596 00:31:02,640 --> 00:31:04,440 Speaker 1: of course, like five minutes later he responds and says, 597 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:05,960 Speaker 1: I'm totally in. We said, what we want to do 598 00:31:06,000 --> 00:31:08,480 Speaker 1: is pitch to Coach Belichick, Uh, you and him doing 599 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:10,960 Speaker 1: a breakout session with no more than you know, seven women, 600 00:31:11,160 --> 00:31:14,520 Speaker 1: you know, no media, super intimate, just talking ball, and 601 00:31:14,680 --> 00:31:16,480 Speaker 1: he said, I'm in. Keep me posted on what Coach 602 00:31:16,520 --> 00:31:19,400 Speaker 1: Belichick says. And so we draft. This email to Bears 603 00:31:19,400 --> 00:31:21,720 Speaker 1: explained to him the importance of this program, the history 604 00:31:21,760 --> 00:31:24,320 Speaker 1: of it, and ultimately, here's what we want from Coach Belichick. 605 00:31:24,400 --> 00:31:25,920 Speaker 1: Is he willing to do it? And not even twenty 606 00:31:25,960 --> 00:31:28,760 Speaker 1: minutes later he said, coaches all in. So that was 607 00:31:28,800 --> 00:31:31,920 Speaker 1: really you know how it happened. And I called you 608 00:31:32,040 --> 00:31:33,840 Speaker 1: and you know there are there's a lot of screaming 609 00:31:33,840 --> 00:31:36,680 Speaker 1: and all that, but you know, I think one having 610 00:31:36,720 --> 00:31:39,320 Speaker 1: him there, just watching him in a breakout session, super relaxed, 611 00:31:39,360 --> 00:31:42,320 Speaker 1: super laid back, literally just doing what he loves, which 612 00:31:42,320 --> 00:31:45,880 Speaker 1: is talking ball and developing coaches. Uh, that was tremendous 613 00:31:45,920 --> 00:31:48,920 Speaker 1: to see. And then the other thing to point out 614 00:31:49,040 --> 00:31:52,840 Speaker 1: is coach Belichick comes from an era of the old 615 00:31:52,880 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 1: Boys Club, not saying he is in that club, and 616 00:31:54,880 --> 00:31:57,320 Speaker 1: he's shown and us hiring that he's not. But to 617 00:31:57,400 --> 00:31:59,760 Speaker 1: have a coach like that that comes from that kind 618 00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:02,800 Speaker 1: of generation, um, you know, to kind of show other 619 00:32:03,000 --> 00:32:05,000 Speaker 1: head coaches and other people that come from that generation 620 00:32:05,040 --> 00:32:07,440 Speaker 1: as well that he's embracing a program like this, I 621 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,160 Speaker 1: think was tremendously important. And anyone who was, you know, 622 00:32:10,160 --> 00:32:14,280 Speaker 1: maybe teetering on embracing diversity, equity, inclusion. He's an example 623 00:32:14,360 --> 00:32:16,040 Speaker 1: for that to them as well. And I think that's 624 00:32:16,040 --> 00:32:18,040 Speaker 1: why it means so much to have him be a 625 00:32:18,040 --> 00:32:20,000 Speaker 1: part of him, to have him, you know, say you 626 00:32:20,040 --> 00:32:21,960 Speaker 1: know that it's important to him in his organization. And 627 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,040 Speaker 1: he didn't blink an eye when he was in that zoom, right, 628 00:32:24,080 --> 00:32:25,680 Speaker 1: I mean, we didn't let anyone in that zoom. So 629 00:32:25,680 --> 00:32:27,320 Speaker 1: I'm gonna give a little peek behind the curtain of 630 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:29,680 Speaker 1: what it was like. He was like, all right, let's go. 631 00:32:29,760 --> 00:32:32,160 Speaker 1: Who wants to learn football? Right? There was no mention 632 00:32:32,160 --> 00:32:34,000 Speaker 1: of oh, your female coaches, kind of like what you 633 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,360 Speaker 1: were saying. There's no mention about you know, your gender. 634 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,560 Speaker 1: It was like, who wants to talk ball? And I 635 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:40,760 Speaker 1: remember alex Hannah raised her hand, She's like, I want 636 00:32:40,760 --> 00:32:42,880 Speaker 1: to talk ball, and she pulled up a power point 637 00:32:43,000 --> 00:32:45,040 Speaker 1: and broke down a cover three defense for him and 638 00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:47,640 Speaker 1: asked him specific questions about what the cornerback should do 639 00:32:47,680 --> 00:32:50,840 Speaker 1: in a certain situation. And then they just started talking 640 00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,320 Speaker 1: ball for an hour, right, And then other people started 641 00:32:53,360 --> 00:32:56,040 Speaker 1: asking him strategic questions and just the opportunity to speak 642 00:32:56,080 --> 00:32:58,280 Speaker 1: to a genius in the game like that, you know, 643 00:32:58,320 --> 00:33:00,400 Speaker 1: and then him giving out his email address them after 644 00:33:00,440 --> 00:33:02,400 Speaker 1: it was just the icing on the cake. But it 645 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:04,200 Speaker 1: really struck me how he didn't care who was in 646 00:33:04,240 --> 00:33:06,480 Speaker 1: the room. He wanted to develop young coaches and that's 647 00:33:06,480 --> 00:33:08,600 Speaker 1: why he got involved, right. I mean, I remember just 648 00:33:08,960 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 1: being amazed he was referring to everyone who was calling 649 00:33:10,880 --> 00:33:13,200 Speaker 1: them coach coach to the women in the room, you know, 650 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:14,719 Speaker 1: whether they were at the high school level, where there 651 00:33:14,760 --> 00:33:17,360 Speaker 1: at the college level, he was addressing them in that sense. 652 00:33:17,400 --> 00:33:19,680 Speaker 1: And like you said, we had participant sharing screens and 653 00:33:19,720 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: asking questions to him, and you know, he lit up 654 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:25,400 Speaker 1: when Alex uploaded her screen on zoom to show in 655 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:26,880 Speaker 1: the play and he was like, this is great. And 656 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:28,680 Speaker 1: then him and Coach Rabel just took it from there. 657 00:33:28,720 --> 00:33:30,840 Speaker 1: And you know, they had their prior relationships, but they 658 00:33:30,880 --> 00:33:32,440 Speaker 1: were working off of each other and it created just 659 00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,040 Speaker 1: such a great environment in that breakout session for them 660 00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:36,600 Speaker 1: all to be a part of. As I mentioned at 661 00:33:36,600 --> 00:33:39,640 Speaker 1: the top of the pod, almost two hundred opportunities for 662 00:33:39,720 --> 00:33:42,360 Speaker 1: women have come out of this forum in just five years. 663 00:33:42,800 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 1: Several women were so impressive that they got their jobs 664 00:33:45,880 --> 00:33:48,240 Speaker 1: on the spot. One question that I get asked all 665 00:33:48,240 --> 00:33:51,480 Speaker 1: the time as I'm working on you know, some of 666 00:33:51,520 --> 00:33:54,840 Speaker 1: this content podcast and and TV series is people are 667 00:33:54,880 --> 00:33:59,200 Speaker 1: so curious about, well, what's the reaction from an NFL 668 00:33:59,280 --> 00:34:01,960 Speaker 1: player and he's told that a woman is going to 669 00:34:02,040 --> 00:34:05,920 Speaker 1: be coaching him. I can imagine people assume they might 670 00:34:05,960 --> 00:34:08,120 Speaker 1: not like that. But what have you found when these 671 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,880 Speaker 1: women get into those positions and what have you heard? 672 00:34:10,920 --> 00:34:13,840 Speaker 1: You guys are on the front lines of this from 673 00:34:13,880 --> 00:34:16,880 Speaker 1: the coaches themselves, from the players themselves. My response to 674 00:34:16,880 --> 00:34:19,680 Speaker 1: that typically is ask any player and they will tell 675 00:34:19,719 --> 00:34:23,160 Speaker 1: you that they want their coaching staff to reflect their family, 676 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:26,520 Speaker 1: the fans, their normal life outside of football. Right. And 677 00:34:26,520 --> 00:34:29,160 Speaker 1: as Roger said, and coach Arian's has said this many times, 678 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 1: a coach is a teacher and if you can teach, 679 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:34,200 Speaker 1: you can teach. And there's no gender to teaching, right. 680 00:34:34,320 --> 00:34:36,600 Speaker 1: So if you talk to the guys, they love it. Right. 681 00:34:36,880 --> 00:34:38,960 Speaker 1: A lot of them have daughters. It's inspirational for their daughters. 682 00:34:38,960 --> 00:34:40,640 Speaker 1: A lot of them have sons. It's inspirational for their 683 00:34:40,640 --> 00:34:43,600 Speaker 1: sons to see women in these positions teaching men football. 684 00:34:43,960 --> 00:34:46,680 Speaker 1: And it's remarkable to see. I've never heard of players 685 00:34:46,680 --> 00:34:49,360 Speaker 1: say anything other than we need more female coaches. One 686 00:34:49,400 --> 00:34:51,880 Speaker 1: of the other big questions is you put these women 687 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:54,960 Speaker 1: the majority of them are young. We have a couple examples, 688 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,960 Speaker 1: like Low Locusts, who was on the Super Bowl winning Buccaneers. 689 00:34:58,040 --> 00:35:01,880 Speaker 1: In you put them in these positions as trailblazers and 690 00:35:01,960 --> 00:35:05,040 Speaker 1: being first, that is a heck of a lot of pressure. 691 00:35:05,719 --> 00:35:08,080 Speaker 1: How do you prepare them for that and how do 692 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:10,880 Speaker 1: you help them through that process as the season goes on. 693 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,120 Speaker 1: So there's no perfect blueprint, you know, and there's mistakes 694 00:35:13,120 --> 00:35:15,839 Speaker 1: along the way. But I think what I'm so appreciative 695 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:18,880 Speaker 1: of is how honest they are, whether it's you know 696 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:22,080 Speaker 1: us always, you know, people like Low Jennifer King, Sally 697 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:23,799 Speaker 1: with all all of them. If we have someone we 698 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:25,920 Speaker 1: want to connect them with who's on that pathway to 699 00:35:26,000 --> 00:35:28,239 Speaker 1: wanting to be like them, they'll take that phone call 700 00:35:28,280 --> 00:35:30,399 Speaker 1: and they will be completely transparent with them, and they'll 701 00:35:30,400 --> 00:35:32,719 Speaker 1: be completely honest with them about what this road is, 702 00:35:32,920 --> 00:35:36,239 Speaker 1: what it entails, what's been tough um and that I 703 00:35:36,280 --> 00:35:39,400 Speaker 1: think just their transparent transparency in itself and willingness to 704 00:35:39,400 --> 00:35:41,759 Speaker 1: share that actual experience and not be afraid to make 705 00:35:41,800 --> 00:35:44,600 Speaker 1: mistakes but try and just you know, be leaders in 706 00:35:44,600 --> 00:35:46,480 Speaker 1: that for the other woman around. That's what I appreciate 707 00:35:46,480 --> 00:35:49,400 Speaker 1: the most for them. And Vanessa. I know. It seems 708 00:35:49,400 --> 00:35:52,239 Speaker 1: to me my conversations were these coaches none of them 709 00:35:52,280 --> 00:35:54,319 Speaker 1: want to be first. That's not why they're doing it. 710 00:35:54,520 --> 00:35:57,839 Speaker 1: They're doing it because they love the game. They think 711 00:35:57,880 --> 00:35:59,719 Speaker 1: they can make the game better, they think they can 712 00:35:59,719 --> 00:36:04,359 Speaker 1: help teams win, and it's become their passion. It's like, Sam, so, 713 00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:09,520 Speaker 1: how do you distinguish that? And and the good news 714 00:36:09,560 --> 00:36:13,239 Speaker 1: is there not first anymore, and the doors open and 715 00:36:13,400 --> 00:36:19,000 Speaker 1: the opportunities there. So how do you get to finding 716 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:22,120 Speaker 1: their true motivation of how they're going to succeed in 717 00:36:22,200 --> 00:36:25,239 Speaker 1: the most competitive sport in the world, one of the 718 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:29,440 Speaker 1: most successful businesses and leagues in the world. They're going 719 00:36:29,480 --> 00:36:31,680 Speaker 1: to have to compete against the best. And when they 720 00:36:31,680 --> 00:36:33,880 Speaker 1: walk in that room, they don't care whether they're a 721 00:36:33,920 --> 00:36:38,200 Speaker 1: woman or a man, or as I always say, players 722 00:36:38,239 --> 00:36:40,480 Speaker 1: can smell a coach he doesn't know what he's talking about. 723 00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 1: In about five minutes. It takes that long and they'll know. 724 00:36:44,400 --> 00:36:47,200 Speaker 1: And that's what they respect. And ultimately it's about the 725 00:36:47,280 --> 00:36:49,520 Speaker 1: respect that you know how to coach and make them better. 726 00:36:49,600 --> 00:36:51,960 Speaker 1: One of the things we ask when we're talking to 727 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:54,040 Speaker 1: these women, who are you know, in preparation for the 728 00:36:54,080 --> 00:36:56,160 Speaker 1: forum is you know what your why? Why do you 729 00:36:56,400 --> 00:36:58,279 Speaker 1: wake up and want to work these endless hours in 730 00:36:58,280 --> 00:37:00,640 Speaker 1: this industry and sacrifice so many for things to be 731 00:37:00,719 --> 00:37:03,120 Speaker 1: in it? And you know a lot of those answers 732 00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:04,719 Speaker 1: are a lot of reason why some of the women 733 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:07,560 Speaker 1: are in the forum itself. Um, you know, we stray 734 00:37:07,600 --> 00:37:09,080 Speaker 1: away from the answers that say I want to be 735 00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:12,040 Speaker 1: the first, this, that, or the next. We really embrace 736 00:37:12,120 --> 00:37:14,000 Speaker 1: the answers that say, I just want to help a 737 00:37:14,000 --> 00:37:16,759 Speaker 1: team be better and wherever I'm needed for that, that's 738 00:37:16,800 --> 00:37:18,360 Speaker 1: what I want to do. Here's where I think I 739 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,320 Speaker 1: have my strengths, Here's what I think I have my weaknesses. 740 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:21,560 Speaker 1: But what I really want to do is be a 741 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:23,320 Speaker 1: part of a team and be a part of helping 742 00:37:23,320 --> 00:37:25,560 Speaker 1: them have success. And so I think that's in a 743 00:37:25,560 --> 00:37:29,640 Speaker 1: way that that shows you know, ultimately what leadership means 744 00:37:29,680 --> 00:37:31,319 Speaker 1: to them, and it gives us a really good look 745 00:37:31,320 --> 00:37:33,359 Speaker 1: at the type of candidates we're looking for and how 746 00:37:33,400 --> 00:37:35,560 Speaker 1: they'll fit within the league. How do you advise them 747 00:37:35,600 --> 00:37:39,120 Speaker 1: on what to do with pushback that would come from 748 00:37:39,200 --> 00:37:44,760 Speaker 1: outside a team organization, from social media, from fans um. 749 00:37:44,760 --> 00:37:47,719 Speaker 1: Talking to the women coaches who are currently working in 750 00:37:47,760 --> 00:37:51,359 Speaker 1: the league, they all will tell you, oh, yeah, it's 751 00:37:51,360 --> 00:37:54,520 Speaker 1: brutal if you go on social media, or sometimes things 752 00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,160 Speaker 1: fans will say to you it is nasty or even 753 00:37:57,160 --> 00:38:01,120 Speaker 1: than your wildest imagination. And they all have strategies kind 754 00:38:01,120 --> 00:38:03,120 Speaker 1: of for where they put it. So when you're looking 755 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,040 Speaker 1: at young women coming in, how how do you advise 756 00:38:06,120 --> 00:38:08,879 Speaker 1: them on what to do with what with what can 757 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:11,880 Speaker 1: become really bad noise. My biggest piece of advice is 758 00:38:11,880 --> 00:38:14,160 Speaker 1: always to keep your head down in grind mentality, whether 759 00:38:14,520 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: and you have to figure out what that means for you, 760 00:38:16,040 --> 00:38:18,000 Speaker 1: whether that means you're not on social media or you're 761 00:38:18,000 --> 00:38:19,719 Speaker 1: not paying attention to that. You know, that's one way 762 00:38:19,760 --> 00:38:21,840 Speaker 1: to do it. But obviously you can't ignore all the noise. 763 00:38:21,920 --> 00:38:24,760 Speaker 1: But one thing I've always been taught and I've always 764 00:38:24,760 --> 00:38:26,920 Speaker 1: tried to use in my career in itself, is that 765 00:38:27,120 --> 00:38:29,560 Speaker 1: you need to worry about the people who matter, the 766 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:31,480 Speaker 1: person that hired you, the person you're reporting to, the 767 00:38:31,480 --> 00:38:33,480 Speaker 1: people who rely on you, and as long as they 768 00:38:33,480 --> 00:38:35,480 Speaker 1: think you're doing a great job and you're doing well, 769 00:38:35,800 --> 00:38:38,239 Speaker 1: that's what matters. And the person on Twitter who is, 770 00:38:38,600 --> 00:38:41,600 Speaker 1: you know, ranting does not. And so it really has 771 00:38:41,600 --> 00:38:43,279 Speaker 1: to be a deep, you know, belief in yourself. And 772 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:45,480 Speaker 1: as cliche as that may sound, that's what keeps a 773 00:38:45,480 --> 00:38:47,840 Speaker 1: lot of people's heads above ground in this industry is 774 00:38:47,880 --> 00:38:49,560 Speaker 1: just knowing who you are and knowing what you're good 775 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:52,160 Speaker 1: at and letting that pave your way for you. And 776 00:38:52,200 --> 00:38:54,040 Speaker 1: we talk about Roger sometimes like that, we're like, do 777 00:38:54,080 --> 00:38:57,440 Speaker 1: you think Rogers on Twitter saying like, I you two right, Like, 778 00:38:59,400 --> 00:39:02,080 Speaker 1: if you're in ring, you have to take the blows right, 779 00:39:02,120 --> 00:39:04,279 Speaker 1: and we all know that there are responsibilities that you 780 00:39:04,360 --> 00:39:07,200 Speaker 1: have in being the first. So what we tell them is, 781 00:39:07,480 --> 00:39:09,600 Speaker 1: imagine you're Roger, right, and you're sitting there and these 782 00:39:09,640 --> 00:39:11,600 Speaker 1: people are criticizing him. He is not sitting there on 783 00:39:11,640 --> 00:39:14,320 Speaker 1: social media telling these people like will you suck or 784 00:39:14,360 --> 00:39:16,680 Speaker 1: you whatever? Right, He's doing his job. And that's really 785 00:39:16,680 --> 00:39:19,040 Speaker 1: what we tell the women is don't worry about people 786 00:39:19,040 --> 00:39:21,120 Speaker 1: who are not in the ring with you, and don't 787 00:39:21,120 --> 00:39:23,279 Speaker 1: take criticism from someone who you wouldn't go to for 788 00:39:23,360 --> 00:39:27,040 Speaker 1: advice and so blinded out, have your blinders on social 789 00:39:27,040 --> 00:39:28,919 Speaker 1: media because we're going to hear that. No matter how 790 00:39:28,960 --> 00:39:31,280 Speaker 1: long we continue to do this, which hopefully is forever, 791 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:34,120 Speaker 1: people will criticize because they have bad things to say. 792 00:39:34,120 --> 00:39:35,480 Speaker 1: But if they're not in the ring with you, it 793 00:39:35,480 --> 00:39:38,160 Speaker 1: doesn't matter. You know. My trick always with that is 794 00:39:38,480 --> 00:39:41,040 Speaker 1: one is I don't pay much attention to it. But second, 795 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:44,799 Speaker 1: and probably more important, I use his motivation. You know, 796 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:47,880 Speaker 1: I just want to prove those people wrong. And what 797 00:39:48,000 --> 00:39:52,520 Speaker 1: I see from most of our great coaches, everyone's doubted, 798 00:39:53,200 --> 00:39:56,680 Speaker 1: everyone's challenged everyone. You know, they make the wrong call 799 00:39:56,719 --> 00:39:59,759 Speaker 1: in the game, and everyone says you're a loser. You 800 00:40:00,040 --> 00:40:02,480 Speaker 1: have to use that as your motivation to get better 801 00:40:02,520 --> 00:40:05,080 Speaker 1: and to prove people wrong. And to me, those are 802 00:40:05,080 --> 00:40:08,560 Speaker 1: the people who have real grit ultimately, or the competitive 803 00:40:08,560 --> 00:40:10,200 Speaker 1: ones that are going to be able to go through 804 00:40:10,200 --> 00:40:13,520 Speaker 1: those difficult times, which every coach does, every commissioner does, 805 00:40:14,000 --> 00:40:17,560 Speaker 1: every person in public life and in personal life. You're 806 00:40:17,600 --> 00:40:21,399 Speaker 1: going to have those moments of adversity and challenge. You 807 00:40:21,480 --> 00:40:24,880 Speaker 1: have to be able to compete and grind through it. 808 00:40:24,960 --> 00:40:28,040 Speaker 1: To use the term you use, that's grit. In my view, 809 00:40:28,239 --> 00:40:29,880 Speaker 1: that's the people I want to around me. It's not 810 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:34,680 Speaker 1: a business for a thin skin, absolutely not. I think 811 00:40:34,680 --> 00:40:39,799 Speaker 1: you know that too. This season unearned it. I said 812 00:40:39,920 --> 00:40:41,680 Speaker 1: to Darcy and said, look, I like to hire two 813 00:40:41,840 --> 00:40:44,600 Speaker 1: coaches who happen to be female. She said, heck yeah, 814 00:40:44,640 --> 00:40:46,520 Speaker 1: go for it. And you gotta be kidding me. I mean, 815 00:40:46,560 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 1: I like sports my whole life from five and because 816 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:51,480 Speaker 1: I'm a girl, I can't white. It's not like I'm 817 00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:53,320 Speaker 1: doing this to bust up the good old Voice book. 818 00:40:53,560 --> 00:40:55,839 Speaker 1: Just listen to your story, I mean quarterback and your 819 00:40:55,880 --> 00:40:58,840 Speaker 1: thoughts and your wants and your goals. I'm like, oh wow, 820 00:40:58,920 --> 00:41:01,040 Speaker 1: this is a live one. You Sam's a live one. 821 00:41:01,160 --> 00:41:04,279 Speaker 1: When you're looking to hire the best people. Maybe if 822 00:41:04,320 --> 00:41:06,880 Speaker 1: you're opening up the pool to everybody, you're getting even 823 00:41:06,920 --> 00:41:10,200 Speaker 1: more exceptional people. Be sure to watch for Earning Itt, 824 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:14,400 Speaker 1: the five part TV series from NBC and NFL Films 825 00:41:14,600 --> 00:41:25,279 Speaker 1: coming to NBC and Peacock in January. Brought to you 826 00:41:25,360 --> 00:41:27,480 Speaker 1: by up work, where you can build a team that 827 00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:31,000 Speaker 1: will build your business. Learn more at upwork dot com. 828 00:41:31,080 --> 00:41:33,560 Speaker 1: You want the confidence of knowing that the people, places, 829 00:41:33,560 --> 00:41:36,680 Speaker 1: and things that matter to you are protected. 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