Trent Dilfer Drops Some Football Coaching Wisdom That Can Apply to Anything
Just let it breathe
In case you missed it, Trent Dilfer was in the news a couple of months ago, and not for a good reason.
Who is Trent Dilfer?
Trent Dilfer is a Super Bowl Champion who played 14 seasons in the NFL.
He has been the Heach coach of the Lipscomb Academy Football Team since 2019.
What Happened
Coach Dilfer was caught on tape having a heated exchange with one of his players. During the exchange, Dilfer appears to shove the player.
It isn't clear exactly what led to the intense exchange. However, the entire interaction was over quickly.
The Reaction
As with everything on social media, people had strong opinions and weren't shy about sharing them.
Plenty of people had strong negative reactions. Many people felt Coach Dilfer crossed the line and shouldn't be allowed to coach anymore.
Many people, especially former players, came to Dilfer's defense. As anyone who's ever played football knows, sometimes things get heated. That may or may not be a bad thing.
The Lesson
The reaction of random people on social media isn't the real story here. The real story is Trent Dilfer's reaction.
In an interview with Pat McAfee, Coach Dilfer pointed out that coaches frequently deal with situations that they can make better or worse. In this case, he made things worse.
“In this instance, I had a really great opportunity to make a situation better, and I whiffed.”- Trent Dilfer
Then came one of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard.
“Let a situation breathe for a little bit before you address it.”-Trent Dilfer
Final Thoughts
Coach Dilfer could have made excuses or downplayed the situation. Instead, he chose to make it a teachable moment.
We've all said or done things in the heat of the moment that we regret. Often simply letting the situation breathe for a little would completely change the outcome.
A former coach of mine used to say, "It's never as bad as you think, and it's never as good as you think." I have found that statement to be accurate more often than not.
So next time you are in an emotional situation (positive or negative), take a minute to let it breathe. It will almost certainly increase your chances of making a situation better instead of worse.
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