Leadership

Having played the game of football since I was just 8 years old, my friends and family often look to me as an expert. I do not consider myself a connoisseur or master of football, but whenever they have a question, they usually come to me, whether it is about the NFL, college ranks, or just good old high school ball. Throughout all levels of the game, there is one question that I have been asked more than enough times, and I plan to answer that once and for all.

"What is the most important position in football?"

Yes, it is a very tough question. Most answers that you will hear in response are little more than opinions or misleading statistics. It could be argued that quarterbacks must lead the offense, that a good running back is a necessity, or that the linemen do the most work, or perhaps that middle linebackers have to hit the hardest and intimidate the offense. But none of these are facts. The honest truth is that when you try and measure the importance of a single position, it differs from team to team.

Recently, the Baltimore Ravens of the NFL acquired veteran Steve McNair. McNair finally gave the Ravens what they had been missing, and now their offense has been doing very well. The Chicago Bears have always been a defensive powerhouse. Simply thinking about the combination of Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, and Tommie Harris can scare even the best offenses. And for years, teams like the Denver Broncos have relied on a great zone blocking scheme on their offensive line. Because of this, they have been able to plug in any RB they want and have major success.

My point is that every team is different, and based on their scheme and game plan, their most important positions are different to fit their strengths and weaknesses.

"So does that mean that there is no real answer to that question?"

Not necessarily. I believe that I have figured out a very fitting answer.

Veterans. While they are not an official position on the depth chart, they have more impact on a team than anything else. Playing around a good veteran will make you a better football player. This is true at all levels of play. Whether you're a senior in high school or college, or a 15 year pro, the things you do and say set the bar for the guys behind you. The greatest positive of the veteran or team-leader position is that they can easily determine the long-term success of a program.

At the high school level, a good group of seniors are what make programs work. I've seen teams that have a full starting squad of talented seniors, and when they graduate, everyone expects the kids behind them to fail. But because of the mentoring they received, they knew how to win games, and continued that success.

Of course, with every important position, you have good players, and you have some not-so good players. You can play football for decades and still not earn the respect of those around you if you make poor decisions and do not carry yourself appropriately. I've seen, and been with, a group of seniors that have little respect for the actual game; guys that play just for the sake of being able to say they played varsity football. They set bad examples, and I often found myself becoming a worse football player when I was around them. A perfect example of this is Terrell Owens. Sure, the guy is an amazing athlete, and he may even be a good mentor. And yes, even I agree that the media is a little too hard on him. But the poor decisions he makes on and off the field are terrible examples for the younger generations.

There are guys out there who know the game very well, and will have much success in their own lives. But every player to play this great game needs to remember that they are the example; they can decide whether a team wins or loses for years after they have made their impact. If done right, it is a continuous cycle, passed down from generation to generation. Every person who puts on a helmet needs to share his success, knowledge, and heart with his younger teammates, because in the end, that success will multiply.