One of football’s best known faces, Adam Schefter, honored by Nassau County executive

Nassau County is marking its 125th anniversary this year by highlighting influential people who have called the county home, and have made an impact or become highly accomplished. One of those people, Adam Schefter, was honored last week in the Ceremonial Chamber of the Theodore Roosevelt Executive and Legislative Building, in Mineola, by County Executive Bruce Blakeman.

Schefter, 57, who was born in Valley Stream but grew up in Bellmore, graduating from John F. Kennedy High School in Bellmore-Merrick Central High School District in 1985, is a widely known sports reporter and analyst who covers the National Football League for ESPN. He joined ESPN as an NFL insider in 2009, and now appears on a variety of programs. He has been named a “Top 40” NFL media member by Sports Illustrated in the past.

Schefter is also known for his book, “The Man I Never Met,” released in 2018. It’s about his wife, Sharri’s, first husband, who was killed in the Sept. 11 attacks at the World Trade Center, and Schefter’s experience joining the family after his death. It was a national bestseller and received many positive reviews.

“As many of you know, we have so many people of accomplishment throughout our 125-year history of Nassau County, and we are honoring them,” Blakeman said at the June 20 ceremony. “We have astronauts, scientists, famous doctors, business people, athletes, performers — people from every walk of life — that have accomplished greatness and come from Nassau County.”

Schefter is a graduate of the University of Michigan and Northwestern University, and jump-started his career by working as an editor for the Michigan Daily, a student newspaper. He freelanced for the Chicago Tribune, interned with the Seattle Post-Intelligencer and then moved to Denver, where he wrote for the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Post. Before he joined the NFL Network in 2004.

“He’s widely known by so many throughout the United States for his very, very entertaining and insightful analysis of football,” Blakeman said. “I’m a big fan. I love my Saturday with college football, I love my Sundays with the NFL.”

Schefter was joined by his daughter, Dylan, at the ceremony. Blakeman declared June 20 Adam Schefter Day, adding that Schefter not only grew up locally, but still lives in Nassau County.

“It’s just very, very nice that you now have moved back to Nassau County — Nassau County is home,” Blakeman said. “Dylan is attending high school here in Nassau County. We’re just very proud that you grew up here and that you continue to live here and that you’ve accomplished so much. It’s really a blessing to have you here today.”

Schefter thanked Blakeman for the honor. The county not only invited media personnel to attend the ceremony, but also its summer interns, who were encouraged to ask Schefter questions about his upbringing, and for advice.

“It’s a great honor to stand at a podium and look out at the people who ask questions and take video, being that I’ve been in that chair for 35 years,” he said. “That’s what I’ve done for 35 years. I sat in those chairs. I’ve asked the questions. I transcribe the press conferences. It’s nice to be in this position.”

Schefter spoke with young audience members about his work in sports outside football, shared some off-the-record predictions for the upcoming football season, and even offered some advice on maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

“I think most jobs, done the right way, are time-consuming,” he said. “It’s up to you to figure out the balance, and it’s very difficult, no matter who you are, no matter what you do, to strike the right balance. Sometimes if you’re giving your career more, your family suffers, and if you’re giving your family more, your career suffers. There’s really no right answer other than it’s in your gut.

“You just keep working hard at both and doing the best job you can,” he added. “I always think that as long as you’re dedicated — dedicated to your professional work and your personal world — usually people are understanding. It’s a battle all along, and you’re just trying to do the best job you can.”

Schefter said that Nassau County has always been “near and dear” to his heart. “It’s great to be a resident in Nassau County,” he said, “and it’s great to be before you here today.”