Who's Waiting in the Wings
The role of a leader is to prepare those who will one day their their place.
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY, YOUTUBE, or RUMBLE
Joe Montana turned down a basketball scholarship to North Carolina State to accept a football scholarship at the University of Notre Dame in 1974. He was one of seven freshman quarterbacks competing for a spot and he found himself in seventh position his first year.
As a sophomore, he helped lead the Fighting Irish to historic comeback victories against North Carolina and Air Force in 1975 and against Purdue in 1977. From there, he went on to lead Notre Dame to a national championship in the Cotton Bowl against Texas.
Joe Montana left the Fighting Irish with an overall record of 25-4, including that memorable national championship in 1977. In 1979, he helped the Irish rally from a 34-12 deficit, scoring 23 points in the final 7:37 of the game to lead Notre Dame to another Cotton Bowl win, even as he was battling flu-induced hypothermia on the field.
Yet, even with all his success at the collegiate level, he was not highly regarded as “attractive” or “desirable” by the pro scouts. He wasn’t drafted until the third round of the 1979 NFL draft, as the San Francisco 49er’s fourth quarterback pick. Montana was the 82nd player selected overall.
But Montana made his mark on the sport. His quick feet, soft touch with the ball, and a remarkable sense of poise under pressure allowed him to thrive in San Francisco. In January 1982, Montana connected with Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone against the Cowboys. This signature moment, “The Catch”, took the 49ers to the Super Bowl where they defeated Cincinnati to become World Champions.
Montana was four for four in Super Bowls and was named Super Bowl MVP three times. He’s one of only two players in NFL history to win four Super Bowls without any losses.
At the time Montana retired, he was ranked fourth in career passing (40,551 yards), passing attempts (5,391), and passing touchdowns (273). He was ranked third all-time in completions (3,409) and a second all-time career passer rating of 92.3.
Not too shabby for a guy who was not attractive or desirable by the pro scouts in 1979.
But, here’s where the story gets better, and the lesson I want to zero in on today.
Waiting in the wings, training alongside Joe Montana in San Francisco, was a young man from Brigham Young University. His name was Steve Young.
In his 31 games at Brigham Young, he was responsible for 74 touchdowns, completed 592 passes for 7733 yards, and had 8817 yards in total offense. He was a unanimous All-America Award winner and won the Davey O’Brien and Sammy Baugh Awards as the nation’s top quarterback.
Young was also recognized by the National Football Foundation, the College Football Hall of Fame, and the NCAA as a top scholar-athlete. He earned a law degree in 1994 and went on to play 15 years in the NFL. Young led the 49ers to a Super Bowl Championship in 1995, throwing six touchdown passes, and was named Super Bowl MVP.
Young was also named the NFL’s MVP in 1992 and 1994.
The role of a leader is to replicate himself or herself in the lives of others, preparing those who will one day take their place. The 49er leadership, and Montana himself, understood that preparation for the future is an integral part of not just getting to the top but staying there.
Having Montana and Young pushing each other on the practice field, much like Swen Nater pushed Bill Walton at UCLA, made both of these men better quarterbacks. They both enjoyed illustrious careers in the NFL.
Drew Bledsoe was the quarterback of the New England Patriots at a time when the team was rising into dominance. He played nine seasons for the Pats and ranks second in team history with 2544 completions and 29,657 passing yards. He also ranks third in team history with 166 touchdown passes.
Bledsoe was injured in 2001, only to be replaced by a young man who was drafted in the sixth round of the 2020 NFL Draft, the 199th overall pick. He was skinny, sluggish, and had one of the slowest sprint times at the NFL Combine. Even his college coach hesitated to play him, uncertain of his ability. His name was Tom Brady.
The young man who everyone questioned, doubted, and failed to see value in went on to lead the Patriots dynasty, and retired, by most accounts, as the greatest of all time. He has had more Super Bowl appearances (Ten) and more Super Bowl wins (Seven) than any quarterback in NFL history. Brady played in 15 Pro Bowls and was a 5-time Super Bowl MVP.
So why the trip down NFL history lane today, you may be asking?
There’s an important lesson I touched on earlier I want to make sure you don’t miss. It starts with the question I opened this teaching with:
Who’s waiting in the wings?
Who are you mentoring, coaching, and training to step into the role you’re leading in today?
Who are you preparing who will one day take your place?
Who might you be overlooking, who is waiting in the wings, looking for their one chance to rise to their full potential and lead the Team into significance?
Brock Purdy was drafted by the 49ers in 2022. He was Mr. Irrelevant, a nickname given to the very last person to be drafted in the NFL draft.
But, I’m sure San Francisco was glad to have Purdy, Mr. Irrelevant, waiting in the wings.
Purdy started as the third-string quarterback for the 49ers, but after injuries to the first and second-string quarterbacks, Purdy walked onto the field and led the team to five regular season wins, securing a division title in the process and an NFC Championship game appearance. He went on to lead the 49ers to another division title in 2023, only to lose to the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl that year.
Danny White was the Dallas Cowboys quarterback when Troy Aikman was drafted. White led the Cowboys to 5 NFL Championships and 2 Super Bowl wins before the torch was passed. Troy Aikman went on to lead the Cowboys to six NFC East titles, 4 NFL Championship appearances, and 3 Super Bowl wins, setting 45 Cowboys passing records in the process.
Steve DeBerg was leading the 49ers when Joe Montana was drafted. Montana was leading when Steve Young was drafted. Drew Bledsoe was leading when Tom Brady was drafted. Danny White was leading when Troy Aikman was drafted.
So, what’s the takeaway from all these NFL stories this week?
I believe there are six key takeaways we can take from these stories.
First, each of these organizations had a vision for the future. They looked beyond their immediate needs to recruit and groom new talent, even while their current leaders were still performing at a high level. This ensures continuity and helps prepare the organization for long-term, sustainable success.
Secondly, these organizations created an environment where new talent could learn and grow. Good leaders mentor and develop those around them, providing them with the tools, guidance, and resources to learn and grow. These organizations also provide new talent with opportunities to test and hone their craft, building their confidence and belief in themselves.
Number Three. In business, strong leaders focus on what’s best for the organization, empowering others to lead effectively and one day take their place. As good as they are, they understand Father Time is undefeated. Good leaders leave the organization better than when they arrived.
The fourth key takeaway is resilience. Strong organizations must build resilient teams and systems so they can weather leadership changes without sacrificing performance. Preparing future leaders to lead, and giving them an opportunity to do so, is an essential element to transitional success.
In the NFL, the second-string and third-string quarterbacks also get an opportunity to practice with the first-string. This is how you foster a culture of adaptability and resilience.
Fifth, it is important to have a keen eye for the “diamonds in the rough” that other people might overlook or ignore. You’ve got to learn to recognize talent. Tom Brady and Brock Purdy are classic examples. Good leaders have an eye for untapped skill and the uncanny ability to see the raw potential in a recruit they may not yet see in themselves.
Lastly, strong leaders create a culture of excellence. Teams like the Patriots, 49ers, and Cowboys emphasize high standards, a winning attitude, and a strong belief in what is possible. A strong culture of excellence helps current and future leaders thrive. When you are willing to accept average, mediocre, or lackluster as acceptable, excellence takes a back seat in your organization.
The best teams establish and maintain a culture of excellence that challenges every single team member to perform at their best, and continually improve.
That includes those who are waiting in the wings, hoping for the opportunity for their number to be called and they get to walk onto the field and contribute to the win.
Who’s waiting in the wings?
More importantly, who should be there that isn’t?
Who should you be recruiting to join your Team?
Who’s that diamond in the rough waiting to be given the chance to shine?
And once you’ve recruited them, and placed them in the wings, what are you doing to prepare them to contribute at the highest level when it is their turn to walk onto the field?