It was April 10, 1995. I was a young producer/director and I had made it. I spent 3 years working at a small but influential production company in Pittsburgh, PA and literally got called to the “bigs.” After applying at NFL Films for a Filmmaker position and coming so very close to getting it, I wasn't chosen as one of the 3 new creators that would be lucky enough to join the ranks. As fate would have it, I was called back and told that I had handled myself with grace and class upon rejection and that the Films Gods opened up another spot in order for me to be a crewmember alongside of the 19 Filmmakers in Mt. Laurel, NJ.
With bags packed, I left the wonderful city of Pittsburgh - a place I called home for 8 years - to embark on a journey that, to this very day is still continuing.
TODAY marks my 30th season, (29th year for those counting) in the National Football League. Most of those years have been at the club level, but my entry into the league was via the Hollywood of Sports.
In 1997 I was asked to join the Philadelphia Eagles under the tutelage of Len Komoroski and David Perry, two men I credit with indelible lessons of leadership and a boatload of courage, to bring on a 27 year old to help launch one of North America’s first in-house production departments for a professional sports franchise. Those years led to lessons being learned, barriers being broken, and a rock solid 80-90 average hour work week in order to launch a creative department in a day and age when non-linear editing wasn’t the norm and when social media was nearly a decade away from being a household word.
That journey then took me from Philly to KC, from KC to the Bay, and as fate would have it, I would return to the City of Fountains to not only see the top of the mountain for the first time in my career, but to remain there for yet another season!
Let’s start with some data.
As it stands, my NFL Regular season record (once joining the team side, of course!) is:
224-194-2 (420 Games. I’ll save you the math, that’s a 53%+ winning percentage.)
In the postseason, teams I was blessed to be a part of fared just a little better:
23-12 (That’s a 65% winning percentage.)
I often get asked, “What was my favorite game of all time?” or “What are the greatest games I’ve been a part of?" Well, I happened to put a lot of thought into that as well and broke it down into these 10 (By the way, click on the game titles for fun footage!)
1 - Super Bowl 57 - Chiefs vs Eagles
Enough said. The mountaintop is as gorgeous as they said it was and winning it with people I adore made it worth the 28 season wait!
2 - Super Bowl 58 - 49ers vs Chiefs
I truly deliberated whether this one was better than the 1st, thus it could possibly usurp Super Bowl 57 as the best game in my career. Again, vanquishing a former team has its privileges, but to do so in that fashion, with a team that faced (and there is NO argument here to be made so keep it to yourself) a tougher, more stressful, more odds-ladened path than the Chiefs had!? And, to do so in the place where I met my gorgeous wife, with all my family in attendance!? Back to Back!?? In Overtime!??? I may have to revisit this blog in a year and reorder things, but for now, the victory over the 49ers in the big game stands at #2.
3 - NFC Championship 2004, Falcons vs Eagles
The first time you know you are heading to the Big Game, it’s almost unimaginable. I recall stopping the entire crew from chatting on the headsets in the control room immediately after the clock hit zero so we could enjoy the glow for 10 unadulterated, fabulous seconds.
4 - NFC Championship 2019, 49ers vs Packers
The first time you know you are heading to the Big Game with yet another team? That’s when you know God is smiling on you. Cheers to my ride or dies with me that day.
5 - Regular Season, 2006, Cowboys vs Eagles
Watching TO return to a place he left in shambles… it makes the top 5. Speaking of, my guy 5 played very well and to cap it off, Lito Sheppard intercepted the ball and went a measly 102 yards for the clinching pick six and the earth shook in Philly... long live Boz Scaggs.
6 - AFC Championship 2022, Bengals vs Chiefs
A back and forth battle in an epic game with my entire family in the stands and then finally on the field doing confetti angels? Priceless.
7 - AFC Divisional Championship 2021, Bills vs Chiefs
I was never so happy to see the Grim Reaper that day.
8 - 2003 Divisional Championship, Packers vs Eagles
One of the greatest plays in the history of the Eagles was witnessed as was the earth shaking once again in South Philly. Fred Ex delivered on 4th and 26!
9 - Opening of New Arrowhead 2010, Chargers vs Chiefs
6 months of 12-16 hour days to put this together... and it was capped with a glorious victory. I was called the day after the win by Chiefs CEO, Clark Hunt, and he personally wanted to thank me and noted “It was the greatest day I can recall at Arrowhead and my dad (Lamar Hunt) would’ve been proud. He's smiling right now.”
Yes, I cried. Yes, he’s the best owner in sports, period.
10 - Last Game at Candlestick, 2013 Falcons vs 49ers
Watching one of my favorite players, Navorro Bowman, gallup down the field to clinch a playoff berth capping an iconic play to close an iconic building gives me goosebumps to this day. I'm blessed to have started my Niners career in the City that I also left my heart in.
Honorable Mentions:
2013 Wildcard Round, 49ers vs Green Bay
No lie, I put down two Reese’s peanut butter cups and a bottle of water near my elevated camera position to change batteries… within minutes they were frozen solid due to the -14 degree weather. That’s the kind of day it was but it was worth it for the Phil Dawson heroics.
2022 Regular Season, Chiefs vs 49ers
Beating the team you gave 8 years of your life to on the way to winning your first Super Bowl was unforgettable. The time I spent there and the friendships I forged are everlasting... but a win's a win and that flight home was damn fun.
2019 Regular Season, 49ers vs Saints
I had rarely taken an away game off… on this Sunday I did. Watching from the comfortable surroundings of the Disney’s California Grand Lodge on an ipad with headsets on while Christmas Carols were played on a grand piano in the background was great…but having my wife, Lisa, scream “HELL YES!” as loud as she could, scaring guests and children alike when Robbie Gould iced the game winner… that was better than any ride that weekend.
So after 10,593 days what have I learned? I argue that I may not have the ACTUAL degrees to hang on the wall, however, I have a few figurative masters degrees and PhDs in my pocket from my dealings over the course of my career. All of the things that I have learned all come back to people. Whether myself, or those I have worked with… the lessons are memorable and are linked to relationships and the ability to grow as a person.
Here's my biggest takeaways...
People can make or break success for teams. My protector, best friend and wife, Lisa, once told me “hire slow, fire fast.”
She was dead on.
I look back at teams that were solid yet there were a few weak links in the chain keeping us from our authentic success. Balancing what is good for the team as a whole and when to move on will always be one of the hardest things to do as a leader. Although it’s difficult, it’s necessary. Lesson learned.
Trust is earned, not given. I am extremely guarded on my trust and as I go further in my career I value not only the trust I offer to those I work alongside, but also being a trustworthy and dependable source. Without trust, we are merely coworkers; employment with a company being our only bond.
With strong trust, we are a true team.
The greatest lesson I have learned is to continue guarding that trust and place it in those only worthy of receiving. Once my trust is broken, it's nearly impossible for me to repair and so handing it to those who are undeserving is a disservice to myself and those who have paid the price and earned that special currency.
Some relationships transcend a paycheck. I have been so blessed to have connected with some of the most fabulous humans because of my profession that I go to bed and wake up every morning with gratitude, and they are always in my thoughts. Too many people have paved a road for success for me to even count them all fairly. As much as we’d all like to profess that “I did it alone, and I did it MY way!” This is all bull&^%$. No one is a true island and mentors, friends, and selfless leaders have helped me in achieving what I have. The list begins with family, siblings, friends, my wife and the beautiful kids she gifted me… but when I cross through those work doors, the list gets considerably smaller. My guiding lights have been Len Komoroski, David Perry, Mark Donovan, and Gideon Yu. Each has professionally molded me into who I am and put stock and effort into my growth and for that I am forever grateful. I have also been indelibly connected with co-workers that go beyond the office, playing field, or board room. They have been my true north, my battle buddies and they must share in the celebration today as well. (Caveat - Apologies to ANY one I may have missed... its been a long journey and there's a lot of people!!)
So I will close with this. For 30 seasons I have experienced a journey unlike any other.
I have seen the highest highs and the lowest lows.
I have succeeded, failed, and been knocked down.
I've found the strength, patience, and faith to pull myself up and dust myself off.
I have looked up at the top of the mountain from it's base, and I have envied what the view must be like. I have also scaled to the summit and bathed in the sunlight from the peak, remaining there for what seems like an eternity.
I have seen the best of people and, unfortunately, their worst. Most importantly, however, I have survived it all and here I stand, able to impart a special kind of wisdom that I hope makes your journey as wonderful as mine has been. Whether its your first or last steps, enjoy the journey and be sure to pack empathy, courage, kindness, and trust to keep you company. Safe travels!
