15TH February 2023

Leadership - Sport - Uncategorized

Could you kneel at the One

I love this shot. It should be a poster in the bedroom wall of every kid who wants to play sports.

Jerrick McKinnon of the Kansas City Chiefs made a selfless and strategic decision during the Super Bowl that ultimately helped secure the championship for his team. With just a minute left in the game and the game tied, McKinnon had an opportunity to score a touchdown that would have added seven points, and given him lifetime bragging rights, but would have also left a minute on the clock for the Eagles to tie it back up. Instead of going for the glory, he took a knee at the one yard line, sacrificing his own chance at a touchdown to increase the chances that his teammates would get Super Bowl rings.

That is sadly unique in sport today.

His decision showed an incredible amount of selflessness and a true team-first mentality… in the moment, with 70,000 people screaming and 90,000,000 watching at home…McKinnon recognized that the ultimate goal was not individual glory, but rather winning the Super Bowl as a team. By taking a knee, he effectively ran down the clock and ensured that the Eagles would have little time to mount a comeback, while also increasing the likelihood that his teammates would win with an easy field goal.

Great situational awareness, and lack of ego.

This kind of selflessness and team-first mentality is what makes champions. It’s not just about individual talent or achievement, but rather how each player contributes to the success of the team as a whole. McKinnon’s decision to take a knee may have gone unnoticed by some, but for those who understand the game and the importance of teamwork, it was a shining example of what it means to be a team player.

*Some research and drafting done by AI