Generally speaking, brand awareness is a good thing, and if you’re an athlete, and you’re instantly recognizable to people off the street, some of whom may not even necessarily be fans of your sport, that’s typically not bad, either.
But if an athlete has goals for himself regarding how he’s perceived, both in the short term (in regard to his talent, for example, or other characteristics that define who he is as a player) or in the long-term (how he eventually fits into the pantheon of players who preceded him), just having people know who you are isn’t enough.
There’s no better example of this than Tony Romo.
Romo is one of the most well-known players in the NFL, and since he first stepped in for Drew Bledsoe midseason back in 2006, he has amassed a career passer rating of 94.2, second only to Peyton Manning among active quarterbacks.
Think about that for a minute.
His sudden ascent from unknown backup quarterback to starter on arguably the NFL’s prize franchise is a Cinderella story, and yet — because, at least to some degree, he’s done nothing to brand himself or control his own image — he’s known primarily for two things:
- Never having won a playoff game
- Dating Jessica Simpson
Two games into the 2009-10 NFL season, Romo is back in the press again, and for all the wrong reasons. Last weekend against the New York Giants, on the opening night of the new Texas Stadium, Romo threw three interceptions, and the Cowboys lost. Since then, he’s been absolutely hammered by the fans, media, and even current and former players.
There was this from former Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Dorsett:
“I think the media has given him too much credit for doing nothing…He hasn’t done anything really in the National Football League to deserve all the recognition and visibility that he’s gotten so far.”
Former Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman added:
“That is the kind of game that will play into the hands of those critics already out there,” said Aikman, “who want to point to games which haven’t gone well for Tony at the end of the season.”
Columnist Jean-Jacques Taylor of the Dallas Morning News offered this:
“Is he a franchise quarterback? A solid starter? Or is he the ultimate tease, a coach-killer who will always leave you wanting more?”
I would argue that it’s fairly absurd to blame Romo for Dallas’ failure to meet expectations in the last few seasons, and that there are some fairly obvious factors that seem far more to blame, but I’m not here to write about Dallas. We’re talking about Romo and how he’s perceived, so let’s get to the point — a point which I’ve made to a number of high-profile clients, some current, some prospective.
Even if you’re a household name, and really, all the more so if you are, you not only need to define your brand, but constantly make people aware of it. If you don’t, you are allowing the most vocal people, who are nearly always your critics, to determine how everyone else perceives you, and that can damage can have a real impact on opportunities on and off the field over the length of your career.
There’s no question that the media anointed Tony Romo as the savior of the Dallas Cowboys, and he has yet to be on a team that advanced in the playoffs.
There is also a ton about Tony Romo to talk about that’s unequivocally incredible, no matter what his critics say, and it’s really ludicrous that he’s not universally acknowledged as one of the best quarterbacks currently in the NFL, despite games like the one he had last weekend.
Consider just these simple facts about Romo and Aikman, who’s generally recognized as the last great Cowboys QB.
- In his first three seasons, Romo threw 81 TDs — nearly half as many as the 165 that Aikman threw over his entire 12-year career.
- Over the same period, Romo only threw 46 INTs, a ratio of 1.76 TDs to 1 INT. Aikman, on the other hand, threw 141 INTs over his career, a ratio of 1.17 TDs to 1 INT.
- Finally, in his first three years, Romo was 27-12 (.692 winning percentage). Aikman, for his career, was 94-71 (.569 winning percentage).
My guess is that Romo would compare favorably to the vast majority of quarterbacks and many of the better ones at similar stages of their careers. And none of that begins to speak to the other laudable qualities that he brings to the table as a leader and person.
Having a well-conceived brand and a consistent strategy for disseminating it guarantees that there’s a constant flow of information into the world that speaks to your strengths. Tony Romo — a superb young quarterback with as much promise as any player could possibly have — and athletes like him are doing themselves a disservice for not having one.
