By Charles Way
Vice President, NFL Player Engagement
The Super Bowl was one of the most memorable games ever, and Player Engagement produced an equally epic week by preceding the game with an unparalleled presence out in Arizona.
Our amazing PETV set had its biggest year yet, as close to 80 interviews were conducted and our Legends Lounge became the go-to place for hundreds of current and former players to get away from the hustle and bustle of Super Bowl Week by mixing and mingling with their brethren.
The show started with the PETV set staged in a can’t-miss location that was the first thing players saw when they entered the Media Center, and from there they flocked to interviews with our PE Hosts that included Keith Elias, Eddie Mason, Tony Stewart, Ramses Barden, and Mark Brunell.
With our focus on transition, values, and character, players like Martellus Bennett of the Chicago Bears felt free to talk about topics like how he is preparing for life after football, which includes him currently working on a children’s book.
But he also discussed how culture can play a big role in the team dynamic, and how it’s the players themselves who most influence the locker room culture, particularly those who take on a leadership role, which translates to wins on the football field.
And all who came through to talk with us agreed that leading by example produced the most positive culture and promoted the NFL values of integrity, respect, and resilience.
But the beauty of PETV was that it wasn’t just players interviewing players, it also included people from other walks of life dealing with transition.
We had Mark Brunell interviewing Miss America, who happened to be one of his daughter’s closest friends, which was right in our wheelhouse since she discussed the transition from her normal everyday life into the things she did to prepare for her new role as a universal ambassador.
Then there was husband of former boxer Laila Ali, the daughter of the legendary Muhammad Ali, former NFL player Curtis Conway engaging in a discussion detailing how his transition was tough to handle, and how he used that to help her transition out of the fight game.
His insights helped bolster our view that no matter what sport an athlete plays, we all go through the same transition process, which is emotional since we all played a game for most of our lives that we loved and when it ends, it’s difficult to get over it.
Consequently, we all go through the same emotional process, so that it is not unique to each individual athlete.
Most importantly, we at Player Engagement have the resources to assist you so that you don’t have to go through the transition process alone, and we can make this time a miraculous and spectacular journey of self-discovery.
This was the overarching theme from our PETV week, which ultimately will be most determined by the take-home message that asks: What type of glasses will you wear while viewing your new reality?
The answer we find works best is of course rose-colored, since optimism is paramount in this NEXT phase, as we saw displayed time and again at the Legends Lounge.
This absolutely amazing atmosphere at our Phoenix setting featured the opportunity for current and former players to come through and relax by talking with peers they played with and against during their NFL careers.
But it also brought together past and present generations of NFL players, affording all of them the opportunity, some for the first time, to discuss Player Engagement and learn about the many resources we provide you.
After all, Super Bowl Week is like no other, and will no doubt launch a world of opportunity for those with whom we talked.