By Rob Morrissey
Director of Player Engagement
Omare Lowe, drafted by the Miami Dolphins in the fifth round of the 2002 NFL Draft out of the University of Washington, reflects on his internship experiences at the NFL league office and the Seattle Seahawks. Lowe was a member of the Tennessee Titans, New York Jets, Minnesota Vikings, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots, Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons during his six-year NFL experience.
PE: What resources, if any, did you utilize to secure a job shadow?
OL: I played for several teams in the NFL and always made a conscious effort to maintain a good relationship with my Director of Player Engagement (DPE). Upon retiring I reached out to Kevin Winston, my former DPE in Atlanta. We spoke about a possible internship opportunity at the NFL league office. Kevin got the ball rolling and by putting me in touch with the right people, I was able to secure that internship in New York.
PE: What skills or information did you acquire through the experience?
OL: While interning at the League office, I was exposed to a substantial amount of information pertaining to the business as a whole. I had the opportunity to sit and visit with members of several departments ranging from Digital Media to Consumer Products to Advertising. This really gave me insight on the business side of the NFL, which I was never exposed to as a professional athlete.
Interning with the Seahawks under Director of Player Engagement Maurice Kelly provided me with invaluable experience. I was with Seattle in 2005 and began my relationship with Mo while still in my playing career. I remember telling him that Player Engagement was something that interested me beyond my days playing on the field. I currently live in the Seattle area and knew it would be great to work with Mo. I spoke with him about my interest as an intern during 2010 training camp last year. Mo saw that my experience added value to what he was trying to accomplish and extended the internship for the duration of the season. I was able to build relationships with players on the team and help them achieve their goals on and off the field. I also got to take part in the day-to-day tasks of a Director of Player Engagement. The experience with the Seattle Seahawks only furthered my hunger to obtain a position mentoring players to grow on and off the field.
PE: Is there anything that you would have done differently?
OL: My first regret is that I wasn’t able to stretch my internship over a longer period of time while I was at the League office in New York. With so many departments and so much going on, two weeks felt like a blink of an eye. I know the opportunity to intern for a longer period of time would have taught me so much more.
My second regret is how I managed my time with the Seahawks. My focus while interning with the Seahawks was to build a relationship and gain trust amongst the players and so the majority of my time was spent interacting with them. I believe a better balance between that and spending more time in the front office would have been beneficial to me learning more about the scouting process and the type of players the organization is interested in acquiring.
PE: How long were your shadowing experiences and what are you doing now?
OL: My internship at the League office lasted two weeks. My internship with the Seahawks was for the entire 2010 season (July-January).
I am currently working with several former NFL players. Chike Okeafor and Joe Tafoya purchased Viva! Media over a year ago. I, along with Kerry Carter, was brought on as an Account Manager. Viva! Media is a mobile media company that provide smart phone applications for individuals and companies. We are currently doing a custom application for Jason Terry of the Dallas Mavericks. AT&T invited us to present this application at the 2012 AT&T Developers Conference in Las Vegas.
PE: What advice would you give to someone who needs assistance securing a job shadow experience? How did you start the process?
OL: My advice would be to begin the transition before your playing career ends. My career ended abruptly due to injury, which happens way too often in this profession. Maintain a relationship with your Director of Player Engagement. Let them know you are interested in Player Engagement so they can guide you in the right direction. There are many internship possibilities throughout the NFL so take advantage of this by reaching out to the League office and/or your DPE. I began the process by simply calling Kevin Winston and Maurice Kelly. The relationships I built with them prior to my retirement played a huge role in them taking me under their wings and investing their energy in me.
PE: Which skills that you’ve developed as a professional football player transferred into the corporate world?
OL: There are several skills I have learned while playing football that have helped me excel in corporate America. Mental toughness would be the number one trait that has carried over into the “real world.” Mental toughness is paramount as a player in the NFL and has allowed me to work well meeting and exceeding deadlines in the corporate world. Anything is achievable and it’s a matter of how you approach it. Know what you have to do... and get it done.
Communication skills have also helped me following my career. As a Defensive Back, communication with your teammates is key in the secondary. The ability to effectively communicate with people is an important and integral part of succeeding anywhere in corporate America.