Watching press conferences and reading about some of the National Football League’s head coaches reveals important lessons for anyone searching for a career in sports.
Be Yourself
While the previous person in your position may have enjoyed success, you can’t become that person. Your best chance of success is sticking with ideas from the previous person that you also believe in while bringing your own ideas to the job.
In Indianapolis, Jim Caldwell followed Super Bowl winner Tony Dungy as head coach of the Colts. While Caldwell has worked as an assistant on Dungy’s staffs since 2001 in Tampa Bay and Indianapolis, he brings his own ideas.
“Now, I’m going to start to look at things from a different lens. That’s going to be a lot of fun. I’m looking forward to that,” Caldwell said at a press conference. “It’s all new. It’s all different. It’s a little different perspective and I’m certainly happy to be a part of it. I can’t wait to put my stamp on things.”
Impress With Energy
While you may not have experience in the specific position, your enthusiasm can win over people.
The Denver Broncos hired Josh McDaniels after he served as the offensive coordinator for the high-scoring New England Patriots. While McDaniels is just 32-years-old and had no previous NFL head coaching experience, Denver Broncos owner Pat Bowlen was impressed by his energy.
"Guys like Josh are out there, and they've got a lot of horsepower and they're younger," Bowlen told the Denver Post. "The learning process has become a heck of a lot better. I can sense it. I can see it. You don't have to go out and hire a coach who's been a coach before or is a little older. There's a lot of young talent that's as good or better than a guy who has left the game and are getting older and now decide they want to get back in."
While young, McDaniels has an impressive resume on both sides of the ball. After working on New England’s defensive staff for three seasons, McDaniels became quarterbacks coach in 2004 and offensive coordinator in ’06. The ’07 Patriots completed a perfect regular season before losing to the New York Giants in the Super Bowl.
Experience Can be Attractive
Even if you just recently lost a job, perhaps the next employer will be impressed by your experience. While one employer may sour on your talents, skills, and experience, another may find them attractive.
The New York Jets fired head coach Eric Mangini but Mangini took over head coaching duties for the Cleveland Browns. The Browns determined someone with NFL head coaching experience was a better fit than a successful assistant.
Mangini discovered there was a learning curve in his first NFL head coaching job with the Jets.
“When you take that first job, you're trying to figure out what next step is, whether it be the draft, free agency, hiring coaches, hiring a support staff, assessing the players you have, assessing the organization,” Magini said in a press conference. "You've never done a practice script, you've never put together an offseason calendar, you've never talked about an offseason weight program. You've never hired a nutritionist or a sports psychologist. There's a million firsts in that process."
