THE AGILE FOOTBALL PRINCIPLES

In September 2023, in Castle Rock, Colorado, roughly 155 years after it was first played between college teams Rutgers and Princeton, one independent thinker, self-described as “The Coaches Coach” stood thinking, listening to his dog snore and bark in her sleep. As she showed her agility chasing balls in her sleep, and with fantasy football fresh in mind, he grabbed his handy laptop and captured some thoughts. What emerged was the Agile Football Manifesto, a set of principles that some may find comical, otherworldly, and/or pure genius. Others may not.

• Our highest priority is to win the Vince Lombardi Trophy through early and continuous acquisition of quality players, fantastic coaching, and non-stop competitiveness.
• Welcome changing plays, even late in the season. Agile football teams harness change for their competitive advantage.
• Score a lot of touchdowns, from a couple a game to as many as the Bears will allow, with a preference for more frequently.
• Coaches and Players must train together regularly throughout the season.
• Build teams around motivated individuals. Give them the coaching and support roles they need and trust them to get the ball in the endzone.
• The most efficient and effective method of perfecting plays within a football team is regular practice.
• Winning football games is the primary measure of success.
• Agile plays promote sustainable pressure on the field. The offense, defense, and special teams should be able to maintain a constant pace indefinitely.
• Continuous attention to technical excellence and well-designed plays enhance agility.
• Simplicity–the art of maximizing the number of plays not needed–is essential.
• The best plays, blocks, tackles, and catches emerge from selfless teams.
• At regular practices, the team reflects on how to become more effective, then tunes and adjusts its behavior accordingly.