Kelly one of two heads of player engagement on the NFC staff along with Carolina’s Kevin Winston, will be attending his third Pro Bowl in a player engagement role, one that involves a lot of helping players with the logistics of the event.
“It’s really like herding cats, that’s what I do there,” Kelly said with a laugh. “Just making sure the guys get from Point A to Point B, kind of being that liaison for them. We’ve got a lot of different things going on, you’ve got the skills competition, you’ve got community events that are going on, then you’ve got practice for the game. So it’s just making sure the guys get to where they need to go, and if they have any questions, point them in the right direction.”
The Pro Bowl is also a good chance for Kelly to share ideas with his counterparts from around the league.
“To me it’s always good to get together with counterparts, because everybody goes through different things, but if I’m going through something, maybe you’re going through something similar in the next couple of years,” he said. “So to get a chance to get with the guys who do the same work is always good.”
Kelly, better knowns as Mo to players and co-workers, is one of the many people in the organization doing vital work behind the scenes. He may get an occasional shoutout in a press conference from general manager/president of football operations John Schneider or head coach Mike Macdonald, but most people outside of the Virginia Mason Athletic Center don’t realize the significance of his role with players.
Working out of an office located just outside the players locker room, Kelly regularly has players in his office, sometimes to dispense advice, but often times just to listen, or to facilitate a conversation between other players. Just about anything a player needs to help them in life outside of football, Kelly is able to either provide, or he is able to point them in the direction of someone who can help.
“I would say, I’m like the liaison between the players and the coaches, and the players and the front office,” Kelly said. “I’m trying to help them with getting themselves prepared for life after football. The transition into the game, the life of the game, and then the transition out of the game. I know that sounds like a lot, but it entails a lot. So as the guys are coming in, you help them as they transition in, help them find a place to stay, what’s going on, what it’s going…
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