Generosity: Any act of kindness or support given without expectation of exchange or return from the recipient(s).
The game’s biggest stars remain active one month into the NFL offseason. They may not be running drills on the field, but they practice something more important: generosity.
Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman and 2022 NFL Man of the Year Dak Prescott are teaming up to raise money for pediatric cancer and research. Patrick Mahomes, among others on the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, has given hundreds of thousands of dollars to victims of the recent shooting. More initiatives are taking place as the offseason rolls on.
Charity lies at the heart of professional sports, with the NFL recognizing amazing initiatives taken on by players through the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award. It’s hard to think about our favorite players without considering the causes they passionately support and advocate for.
So, where did this spirit of generosity emerge from?
Co-authors of Generosity Wins, Monte Wood and Dr. Nicole F. Roberts, are using their book to offer an insight into how top business and thought leaders unearthed the superpower of generosity. Giving of themselves through time, energy and changing the industries they work in as well as their personal lives.
Chapter Six chronicles the life of arguably the greatest sports agent in American history, Leigh Steinberg, as he celebrated his 50th year of representing athletes. Mr. Steinberg has represented the creme de la creme of footballing heritage, including this year’s champion and MVP, Mahomes.
A Sporting Chance is chapter six of the book and covers the encounter between the main character, Emily Gardner and Steinberg in his Newport Beach office. Gardner had been tasked with discovering the true definition of the word “generosity.” He had been sent to visit Steinberg to see firsthand his impact on world-class athletes, teaching them idealism and morality while learning to give back to their communities. “Pinafore has asked me to speak with leaders who have a strong sense and history of generosity,” she informs the man well-known as the inspiration for the 1996 Tom Cruise biopic, Jerry Maguire.
Steinberg even had a cameo in the film—his celebrity status in the agency field was well-established decades before the likes of Mahomes were even born. “Yeah, that’s pretty much been my passion,” he tells her casually.
“It all goes back to empathy and listening,” he continues. “The basic principles of a sports agency have never changed. People think the whole key to representation is persuasion, being able to sell. But it’s always been about listening. It’s about creating an environment where clients feel comfortable enough to open up. We can peel back the onion layers and get beyond surface responses. Then I can understand your deepest hopes and dreams and your greatest anxieties and fears, and if we can make that emotional connection, it’s an understanding that can last for a career and life.”
If Steinberg’s philosophy is surprisingly uncommon for such a cutthroat practice, he can thank his lineage for the hand-me-down. “My father had two core values: One was to treasure relationships, especially family, and the second was to try to make a meaningful difference in the world and help people who can’t help themselves because you feel their pain.”
Certainly, Steinberg can live in the comfort that he’s made his father proud and made a profound impact globally. Especially for those who have suffered immeasurable physical and cognitive damage from the devastating effects elite sports such as the NFL bring with them.
Starting in 1994, Mr. Steinberg established a series of concussion and brain injury-related conferences and is hopeful doctors are close to finding a way to reverse the damage already caused.
In Jerry Maguire, the protagonist suffers from a crisis of conscience, just like in real life. Steinberg has conquered his by using sports as a tool to drive multiple charitable causes, including the advancement of brain health research, from aiding disadvantaged youth to saving the environment and endangered species. One of Steinberg’s earliest clients, San Diego Chargers kicker Rolf Joachim Benirschke, backs up the notion that Steinberg was an idealist. “Leigh {Steinberg} recognized the power of sport and the opportunities we had as athletes way before anybody else did,” he told Sports Business Journal.
During Super Bowl LVIII, Steinberg hosted his 37th Annual Leigh Steinberg Super Bowl Party, arguably the longest-running party of Super Bowl weekend, but as always, with his spin that revolves around; you guessed it—generosity!
Held at the Ahern Luxury Boutique Hotel, the event celebrated the essence of Las Vegas and encapsulated the spirit of Steinberg. As this year’s theme suggests, guests went “All In” at the party while emphasizing connection-building and giving back by spotlighting a selection of non-profit organizations.
Among many of his esteemed guests was the co-author of Generosity Wins, Dr. Nicole F. Roberts, who hosts the annual Brain Health Summit, now in its 11th year with her at the helm.
Doctor of Public Health Roberts, along with a who’s who of expert panelists, discussed the latest research and topics in neuroscience, including internal and external factors that play a role in brain function and the access care plays in rewiring our brains. More information surrounding the events’ itinerary can be found here.
“This year, we truly did go All In. We added an Esports experience, a Charity Poker Tournament, and announced a new Hall of Fame,” says Roberts. “There were hundreds of retired Hall of Fame-level icons on-site to celebrate Leigh, sport, and giving.”
“Everyone knows Leigh Steinberg as two entities,” continues Wood. He is the most famous sports agent in history and is known for his efforts in the medical community. But they don’t see that he reinvented the NFL around generosity. He flipped an entire industry on its head by introducing players to charitable organizations and being the first person in his field to expect clients and colleagues to give back to the community.”
“And that’s the catalyst for the book, this big idea that generosity is actually authentic. It’s about the reader picking it up and being influenced to change their world for the better,” concludes Roberts.
When generosity is redefined and subsequently restored to its original meaning, it has the greatest impact. Generosity can foster purpose-fueled happiness, emotional well-being, confidence, and passion.
Authors Monte Wood and Nicole Roberts passionately believe that generosity is the core of who and what it means to be uniquely human. The clear path they chart on these pages begins with one insight: you have the power.
Members of the editorial and news staff of the Las Vegas Review-Journal were not involved in the creation of this content.