# \[NFL Career Question\] How does one get a nonplayer, noncoach, noncheerleader job?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [November 22, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865 "2012-11-22T23:05:22Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\
**Post date:** [November 22, 2012, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865/1 "2012-11-22T23:05:22Z")

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Well?

This is something I’ve wondered for a while but tend to always forget to post.

So how does one go about being someone on the sideline holding the down marker? Or maybe become the Gatorade-boy? How are all the miscellaneous jobs filled?  
Do they pay well? Do they require a heavy sports background? Do you work your way up into them or are they the equivalent of entry-level positions?

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865/2 "2012-11-23T00:26:39Z")

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1. You apply, quite often to be an upaid intern.

2. No, they don’t pay well.

3. It helps to have a sports background but it’s not totally necessary; it depends what specific job you’re aiming at.

The current general manager and VP of the Toronto Blue Jays, Alex Anthopolous, who’s been in the news quite a lot lately, has no sports experience of any kind I am aware of. He was an economics grad from McMaster and started off doing entry level crap with the Expos. Now he’s swinging multi-zillion dollars deals with the big boys. That’s why the entry level positions pay poorly; they’re seen as a chance to make it big in pro sports, so you can get people to work for peanuts, or less.

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**Author:** ![Covered\_In\_Bees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7ab992/32.png) [@Covered\_In\_Bees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Covered_In_Bees)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865/3 "2012-11-23T01:26:56Z")

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Actually, the more pressing question now is, how long have you been a moderator? :eek:

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**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865/4 "2012-11-23T03:08:49Z")

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I started off interning in minor league moderation…

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**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\
**Post date:** [November 23, 2012, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/nfl-career-question-how-does-one-get-a-nonplayer-noncoach-noncheerleader-job/641865/5 "2012-11-23T03:36:49Z")

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George Costanza got a job with the NY Yankees. IIRC, he said and did the opposite of every instinct he had. He told off George Steinbrenner.

Not sure if I would recommend that strategy but it worked for George Costanza.