Level Up: Lessons from 3 QBs
“Because momentum isn’t built in one big moment. It’s built in the consistent execution of these fundamentals, day after day, play after play.”
There’s something special about the quarterback position. It’s not just about throwing a football, it’s about being the catalyst that elevates everyone around you.
As I’ve studied leadership and performance throughout my career, I have always spent time looking at coaches and athletes. It seems like my focus keeps coming back to what makes great quarterbacks truly exceptional. There’s no position in sports that embodies leadership more completely than the quarterback. Every play starts in their hands. Every success, or failure, seems to be attached to their name.
Being a great QB takes far more than talent. It takes vision, decision, and an unshakable belief that the team’s success matters more than personal glory.
In life and leadership, we’re all “under center” at times—moments when the ball is in our hands, the pressure is real, and the next move matters.
Define the Topic: What Makes a Good vs. Great QB
What does it take to be a good QB?
Good Arm - makes all the throws
Good Accuracy - can beat the coverage with accuracy
Good anticipation — sees it before it happens.
Football IQ – they read defenses like a book
Adapt and Adjust quickly when things break down.
What does it take to be a great QB?
Everything in the good list PLUS
Leadership
Raises the performance of everyone around him.
Connects well with others.
Leads from the front - gets it done when it matters.
Works as hard as or harder than anyone else.
And most importantly – it’s never about them. It’s always about the team.
That’s the difference. That’s what separates good from legendary.
Three Quarterbacks, Three Masterclasses in Leadership
Here are the 3 Quarterbacks that I have focused on and the traits that make them great QBs.
1. Tom Brady: Relentless Preparation Creates Unshakeable Confidence
Brady’s edge was never just his arm—it was his obsession with preparation.
He studied film until he could predict what a defense would do before the snap.
Leadership takeaway: Great leaders prepare relentlessly so they can act decisively when it matters. Out-prepare your competition. Study your craft until confidence becomes second nature.
The Action: Stop winging it. Whether it’s a client meeting, a presentation, or a major decision – prepare like a champion. Know your material cold. Anticipate the questions. Study the situation from every angle.
The Solution: Block 30 minutes daily for deep preparation work. Not reactive tasks – strategic preparation for what’s coming.
Build Momentum: When you’re truly prepared, confidence flows naturally. That confidence is magnetic. People feel it, trust it, and follow it.
2. Troy Aikman: Calm Command, Letting Teammates Shine
Aikman wasn’t flashy—he was steady. Poised under pressure, unselfish in the spotlight, and demanding of excellence.
Leadership takeaway: True leadership isn’t loud—it’s consistent. A calm leader builds confidence in others. Teammates would run through walls for him. He made them better. He trusted Michael Irvin and Emmitt Smith to do their jobs, and he put them in position to shine. He elevated the entire offense by knowing exactly what each player did best and using it.
The Action: Stop trying to do everything yourself. Identify the strengths of your team members – really know what makes them great – and create opportunities for them to use those strengths.
The Solution: Have one-on-one conversations with each team member. Ask: “What energizes you? Where do you feel most confident? Where do you want to grow?” Then align their work accordingly.
Build Momentum: When people perform at their best, results multiply. When they feel seen and valued, they bring their A-game every single day.
3. Baker Mayfield: Unshakable Belief
Mayfield plays with a chip on his shoulder—a mix of confidence and grit. Walk-on to Heisman. Underdog to starter. His story is about belief that defies circumstance.
Leadership takeaway: Momentum starts with belief. People follow conviction, not credentials. Believe first. Even when the odds say otherwise, bet on yourself and those around you.
The Action: Show up with energy and conviction. Your team feeds off your emotional state. If you’re going through the motions, so will they. If you believe in the mission, they’ll believe too.
The Solution: Before every team interaction, check your energy. Ask yourself: “Am I bringing the belief and passion this team deserves?” If not, get right before you show up.
Build Momentum: Energy is infectious. Belief creates possibility. When you consistently bring both, you create a culture where momentum compounds daily.
The Bottom Line
Being a great quarterback isn’t about having the best arm or the most natural talent. It’s about preparation, making others better, and bringing authentic belief to everything you do.
The same is true for leadership in business and life.
You don’t need to be the most talented person in the room.
You need to be the most prepared.
You need to elevate others.
You need to bring genuine energy and belief.
Do those three things consistently, and you won’t just build momentum – you’ll create an unstoppable force.
So here’s my challenge to you:
Pick one of these three lessons. Just one.
Commit to it for the next 30 days.
Prepare like Brady. Elevate like Aikman. Believe like Mayfield.
Then watch what happens.
“Because momentum isn’t built in one big moment. It’s built in the consistent execution of these fundamentals, day after day, play after play.”
Let’s get it done.
Expect to Win!
Sources & Recommended Reading
The TB12 Method by Tom Brady (Simon & Schuster, 2017)
ESPN Documentary: Man in the Arena: Tom Brady (2021, ESPN+/Disney+)
Tom vs Time (Facebook Watch, 2018)
Peter King, Football Morning in America columns featuring Brady’s preparation habits.
Sports Illustrated, “The Secret to Tom Brady’s Longevity” (SI.com, 2020).
A Football Life: Troy Aikman (NFL Network Documentary, 2013).
Interview: Troy Aikman on Leadership and Consistency – The Dallas Morning News, 2019.
Boys Will Be Boys by Jeff Pearlman (HarperCollins, 2008) — details Aikman’s discipline and leadership style.
FOX Sports interviews with Aikman during NFL broadcasts, where he discusses preparation and leadership philosophy.
ESPN Documentary: Walk-On to Heisman: The Baker Mayfield Story (2018).
Interview: Baker Mayfield: Belief and the Underdog Mentality – Sports Illustrated, 2018.
SoonerSports.com profile archives on Mayfield’s Oklahoma career and leadership approach.
NFL Network, Good Morning Football segments (2019–2021) featuring Mayfield’s leadership mindset.
Greg Bishop, “This Is 40: Tom Brady Leading the Way for Athletes Aging Over the Hill,” Sports Illustrated, July 24 2017. SI
“Tom Brady Looks Better Than Ever for the New England Patriots,” Sports Illustrated, December 10 2014. SI
Thomas Neumann, “Tom Brady Offers Incisive Quote About Career Longevity,” Sports Illustrated – Extra Mustard, September 6 2022. SI
“Troy Aikman: Working in the Cowboys’ Front Office Has ‘Always Been a Long Shot’,” The Dallas Morning News, May 26 2020. Dallas News
