Andy Reid has created a juggernaut in the Chiefs that keeps churning out wins and trophies. But he couldn’t have done this task without the help of GM Brett Veech and the Chiefs president Mark Donovan, both of who worked alongside Reid in Philly. However, Donovan started his NFL journey with the Giants before he joined hands with Coach Reid, and his first experience on the field was something that he holds dear to this day.
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Donovan joined the Under the Goalpost show by senior team reporter Matt McMullen and talked about his journey in the NFL and the world of sports. Like many, he dreamed of playing in the league for a long time and got his shot at the Giants before he pivoted to the front office. Donovan described his first day as such:
” I’ve had a very fortunate path what I’ve been doing and how I’ve been able to do it. When I got to the Giants training camp, it was first experience of my life competitively where I walked on the field and everybody believed they were best at what they did. It was a bit shocking. I knew I was good but I didn’t have that confidence. Just to see it on day to day basis was inspiring and I’ve used that to this day to keep me grounded but also driven.”
Being a QB at Giants camp under Bill Parcells was an eye-opener for the young Donovan. It was the first competitive experience of his life and he was surprised to see everyone holding an opinion that they were the best at their jobs. Coming out of college, Donovan knew he was good but never had that confidence in himself. That experience has stayed with him and helped him navigate a path for himself.
Before stepping up to the role of the president of one of the best-managed franchises in the league, he gathered a fair share of experience working with the NHL and NFL in different capacities before getting the job as senior vice president/operations with the Eagles. There he served for six years from 2003-09 working alongside Andy Reid, before Clark Hunt came calling.
Mark Donovan Detailed Difference in Experience of Working in NHL vs NFL
Before Mark Donovan got the shot to work in the NFL, he got his chance to enter the world of marketing at the NHL and the difference was strikingly clear. When he landed the job as director of sales and marketing for the National Hockey League, the league had a lot of growth potential and was on an upward trajectory.
But when he was hired as senior director of marketing and sales for the NFL, the league was already one of the elite and influential sports leagues in the country. Working with the NHL taught him how to be resourceful and astute to find solutions to problems and generate revenue for the organization.
But with the NFL, his job was to help enhance the potential of an already established powerful brand. Donovan stated,
“With NHL when I was there, was growing and coming up. The NFL when I got there was established as a powerhouse. So we got to a point where I look back it now, I learned so much -how to be innovative and nimble and how to be really focused on- what do I need to do to create this relationship and this partnership for the NHL. Then with the NFL, it was how do I refine what we’re doing to maximise the power of this brand and this league.”
Donovan, alongside Brett Veech and Andy Reid, has turned the underachieving franchise that hadn’t won a Super Bowl in half a century into a powerhouse in football. The Chiefs are one of the best run clubs in the NFL, both on and off the field. Looks like the Chiefs will continue to thrive as Clark Hunt extends the contracts of the trio. Mark’s next big project will be to keep the franchise in Kansas City and get Arrowhead renovated.
