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Cedric JonesIntellectual Preparation for the Future
eFH:Whatwasyourgreatest
obstacleplayingprofessional
football?
CJ:Mygreatestobstaclein
playingprofessionalfootballwas
adjus9ngtothespeedofthepro
gameandplayingataconsistent
levelwhenIwasinmyfirstand
secondyear.Everyonethatyou
faceintheNFLisatop-caliber
athlete.Youdontfacethattype
ofcompe99onweeklyinthe
collegiateranks.
eFH:Whatwasthemost
importantthingyoulearned
whileplaying?
CJ:Themostimportantthingthat
Ilearnedwhileplayingwasthat
thereisnosubs9tuteforgreat
intellectualprepara9onfor
games.Youmustplayeveryplay
with100percentallouteffort.
Bigplaysaremadewithagreat
effortbyoneplayerandalackof
effortbyanother.
eFH:Bestmemoriesinfootball?
CJ:Mybestmemorywas
becomingthefirstteaminNFL
historytowinthreeroadgames
andmakeittoSuperBowlXX.
CaptainDuke
Football
Team1981
3rdround
NFLdrapick
oftheNew
England
Patriots
1985AFC
Champion
Directorof
AthleKcs-
NewYork
AthleKcClub
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Bea9ngtheMiamiDolphins(Patswere
0-1intheOrangeBowl)intheAFC
Championshipgamewaspartofthat
unbelievableprocess.
eFH:Worstmemory?
CJ:Myworstmemorywaslosingtothe
ChicagoBearsinSuperBowlXXbythe
scoreof4610.Wehadagreatseason,
butweplayedpoorlyinthatgame.Each
yearduringtheSuperBowlweekIseethe
highlightsofthatgameandIhopethatthe
outcomewillchange.
eFH:WasthereaKmewhenyoustarted
tothinkaboutsomethingotherthan
football?
CJ:Iwasthinkingaboutsomethingother
thanprofessionalfootballfromdayone.
WiththeaverageNFLcareerlas9ngonly
3.2years,itdoesnttakeageniustofigure
outthatyourfootballcareercouldend
ratherquickly.Youhavetoknowthatyou
willworkmoreyearsinanothercapacity
thanyouwillplayingprofessionalfootball.I
didseveralinternshipsduringtheoff-
seasontoa^empttodevelopsome
marketableskillstoplaceonaresume.
WedidnthaveaDirectorofPlayer
Developmentduringmytenureinthe
league,soeachplayertriedtofindhis
owncareerpathoncehisplayingdays
werecompleted
Cedric JonesNFL/Athletic Director
EFIELDHOUSE.C
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Mybest
memorywas
becomingthe
firstteaminNFLhistoryto
winthree
roadgames
andmakeit
toSuperBowl
XX.
CurrentlytheAthle,cDirectorattheNewYorkAthle,cClub
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eFH:Didanybodyhelpyouwith
thattransiKon?
CJ:No,wedidnthaveaDirector
ofPlayerDevelopmentduringmy
tenureintheleague,soeach
playertriedtofindhisowncareer
pathoncehisplayingdayswere
completed.
eFH:Didyouhavearolemodel?
CJ:Myrolemodelwasalwaysmy
father(WalterL.Jones,Jr.)
eFH:Wouldyoumindsharinga
fewlessonsyoutookfromyour
father?
CJ:Therearethreethingsthat
standoutinmymindwhenI
thinkofmydad:
1. Hetaughtmefroma
youngagetolivemylife
sothatnoonelooked
downuponmeandthatI
didntlookdownupon
anyoneelse.
2. Healsotaughtmeabout
respectforonesselfand
forfellowmankind.
3. Healsoalwaysurgedme
tolivealifestyle
(economically)while
playingprofessional
footballthatwouldallow
metosustainthat
economiclifestyleonceI
re9red.
eFH:SpeakingofreKringHow
didyougetyourfirstjobaer
football?
CJ:Igotmyfirstjobthrougha
gentlemanwhowasaDukefan
andhetoldmethathisbrother
ranafinancialservicescompany
andthatIshouldgivehisbrother
acall.Iworkedforthatcompany
foraboutayearandahalf.
eFH:Didyouneedhelpwitha
resume,interviewprocess?
CJ:Iwasfortunate.Myfirstwife
wasamarke9ngprofessionalat
the9meandsheandIworkedon
myresumeaswellasthe
interviewingprocess.
eFH:Tellusmoreaboutthe
youthprogramsyoumanaged
acrossthecountry?
CJ:TheNFLYouthProgramsthatImanagedwereNFLPunt,Pass,
andKick(PPK),NFLFlag,NFL
JuniorPlayerDevelopment(JPD)
andNFLHighSchoolPlayer
Development(HSPD).The
objec9veoftheseprogramswas
toprovideanopportunityateac
developmentstageofa
youngsterslifetoenjoythesport
offootball.Forexample,PPKwas
aone-9meexperienceatapark
orarecrea9onalcenterforkidstotesttheirskillsinhowfarthey
couldpunt,passorkicka
football.Thewinnersgotto
competeatNFLgames.TheNFL
Flagprogramhelpedbothboys
andgirlsage614playnon-
contactfive-on-fivefootball.JPD
andHSPDwerefootballspecific
developmentalprogramsfor
juniorhighandhighschool
playerstopreparethemfortheir
upcomingseasonsorachanceto
playcollegiatefootball.
eFH:Youvedonealotinthe
NFL.Whatareyourthoughtson
theNFLtoday?Isitgeng
beZer?DoyouthinkRoger
Goodellisdoingagoodjob?
CJ:IbelievethatNFLis
experiencinganall-9mehighin
popularity.Itistheonlysportin
Americathatfansplantheir
en9redayaround.TheNFL
cap9vatesSundaysformany
Americans.
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IthinkthatCommissionerRoger
Goodell,whoIworkedwithfora
numberofyears,hasdonea
tremendousjobinprotec9ngthe
integrityofthegame,butalso
growingthemanyrevenueopportuni9esinthisfast
changingtechnological
landscape.Individualsconsume
contentsodifferentlythesedays
andIbelievethatCommissioner
Goodellhaschallengedhis
employeestoprovidethestate-
of-thearttechnologytodeliver
thegameoffootball.From
televisiontostreamingvideo,the
NFLhaslenostoneunturned
whenitcomestodeliveringa
qualityproducttofans.
eFH:Whatisyourbestadviceto
professionalathletestoday?
CJ:Myadvicetoprofessional
athletesistomaximizeyouron-
fieldopportuni9esandprepare
yourmindandbodytobethe
bestfootballplayerthatyoucan
be.Also,keeppreparingeach
off-seasonforlifeaerfootball.
A^endsomeofthecon9nuing
educa9onprogramstheleague
providesandalsoworksome
internships.
Themoremarketableskillsone
develops;thebe^erprepared
onewillbetoenterthejob
marketwhentheirplayingdays
areover.
eFH:Finally,youworkatthe
NYAC.Youmustmeetsome
preZycoolpeoplethere.Hows
thatgoing?
CJ:TheNewYorkAthle9cClubis
currentlyratedasthe#1private
clubintheUnitedStates.We
havemembersfrommanywalks
oflifeandsometremendous
athleteswhohavewonover230
Olympicmedalssince1868.I
thoroughlyenjoybeingasmart
partofourathletessuccess.
eFH:Anyfinalcommentsfor
peoplereadingathome?
CJ:Ialwaysliketochallenge
peopletokeepdreamingand
reachingforthestarsnoma^er
whattheirsitua9onisortheir
age.Donttakenoforanswerand
alwayskeepaposi9veatude.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Matt RighterPublisher
Doreen Cappelaere Editor
New England
Patriots (Courtesy
of)
Photography
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