Super Bowl Sunday reached national-holiday status many years ago in the United States. Unlike other holidays, the meaning of this one shifts every year. Each Super Bowl is meaningful in its own way, reflecting the particular time period and the specific people involved.
The broader historical context around a particular Super Bowl creates a feeling of its being “more than a game.” A perfect example of this was Super Bowl XXV in 1991, when Whitney Houston sang perhaps the most famous rendition of the national anthem, while we were in the midst of the Gulf War. The game and the song became a lasting metaphor for national unity, even though it was a tough loss for the city of Buffalo.
Likewise, the personalities involved in each Super Bowl create unique stories and lessons that we can learn from and be inspired by. For me, this year’s Super Bowl LX was the story of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold. Drafted third overall in the 2018 NFL draft, Darnold had a lackluster early career. He struggled as one of the lowest-ranking quarterbacks in the NFL, and led his teams to victory only 21 times in his first five seasons. By contrast, his last two seasons boasted 28 wins, playoff appearances and, earlier this month, an NFL championship.
So what made the difference in Darnold’s career, and what lessons can we glean from his turnaround to share with our students about success in our careers and in life?
First, take advantage of new opportunities, even if they seem like a step back. Darnold had a difficult start with, let’s face it, a difficult organization, the New York Jets. After three years, he went to another challenging team, the Carolina Panthers. Finally, at rock bottom and almost totally written off, he signed a backup quarterback deal with the San Francisco 49ers.
Most folks at the time didn’t even know if he was still playing. But with a superior coaching staff and the space to learn and grow, Darnold took advantage of this tremendous opportunity with the 49ers, and coach Kyle Shanahan, and the following year, then with the Minnesota Vikings, he had the best season of his career. He had a sense of what he needed in coaching and support, and that propelled him to new opportunities. He was also fearless in moving among organizations four times to chase opportunities that he was even more prepared for.
Second, don’t allow opportunities that don’t work out to become an albatross on your life, but make those situations pay you back with learning and growth. It had to be so hard for Darnold to struggle in New York, the most high-profile of all sports communities. But he didn’t let pundits define him. Rather, he admitted that those early years were difficult and continued to learn, work and grow. He reflected on what didn’t work and how this helped him mature in his thinking. As Darnold said recently:
“Mistakes happen, and you learn from them. You don’t want to make mistakes again, but sometimes in your career, especially if it is a long career? Those things are going to happen. But being able to move on, and to learn from those experiences is to move on. The days in New York, Carolina, those were part of my journey and part of my experience. I loved it, to be part of it. Yeah, there were lows and stuff, not going to lie to ya. But that is part of it. I learned so much from that. I am able to move on.”
Finally, confidence and self-belief are the key that connects the first two lessons. In his transition to the 49ers, it has been reported that even for the backup role, the coaches weren’t going to sign Darnold if his self-concept was weak. Despite the early years, he knew that self-belief is one of the greatest tools to handle adversity and open new doors of opportunity.
So while it’s true that the Super Bowl is only a football game — the most expensive football game ever produced — it is also a story that has the power to unite, to inspire and to teach.
Chris Zublionis is superintendent of the North Shore School District.
