Today we’d like to introduce you to Nick Lowery.
Hi Nick, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
It’s an unusual story starting with a father who was the son of a real-life cowboy in Livermore, Fort Collins, Colorado, and became a reconnaissance pilot for General Patton in The last 6 months of the war in Germany. My father, Sidney Lowery, was in the first group of Fullbright scholars after World War 2. My mother, Hazel Bray, grew up in Egypt as the daughter of a British diplomat and was in the first full class of women at Oxford University. She spoke the best German in England and was sent to question Hitler’s record keepers in Berlin after the war, As well as to document the death camps. She never told us about that last piece; I’m sure it saved us from the fierce and dark energy of the Holocaust.
My story isn’t complete without acknowledging the phenomenal role models I was surrounded by, beginning with Supreme Court Justice Byron White. The notion of dedicated service to one’s country and community was around me. My next-door neighbor until he died a thousand four in 2018 Was the one and only Muhammad Ali. As I watched Him handle the supreme level of respect, affection, and attention, it was always 1000% clear that the most important leadership value was one of transcendent love to bring us all together. It may sound like a cliche, but he is and was one of the great citizens of our world.
I didn’t know I was going to make it in the NFL. So while I was trying out with 8 different NFL teams 11 times, I made sure to keep working in the off-season as a legislative aide in the United States Senate for Senator John Chafee of Rhode Island and then-Senator Bob Packwood of Oregon, Working on aviation deregulation and to aviation safety back in 1980. I gave up that job on the permanent committee staff of the Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee to try one last time. And after all those rejections. Over the past 2 years, I was at a new level of focus, toughness, and confidence, As it’s a valid argument that the most pressure-packed position in sports is that of the NFL field goal kicker. Because there is no room for almost, you either make it or you don’t. In front of 80000 screaming fans and millions on television. Who will always remember when you miss? Those rejections pushed me to dig deeper than ever and allowed me to perform our Kansas City Chiefs Superstar Jan Stenerud, Who would go on to the NFL Hall of Fame. I am passionate about service and having a mission and purpose in life bigger than ourselves, To use this spotlight and stage to point into the shadows of the homeless native American children and adults with cerebral palsy. (KICK with Nick Won the National UCP award) The irony of it is that I won the award named for my next-door neighbor Byron White, which is the foremost humanitarian award given by NFL players themselves.
I broke Jan Stenerud’s records and was elected into the KC Chiefs Hall of Fame in 2009. When I retired, I was the most accurate kicker in NFL history for the previous 17 years, had the most field goals in NFL history, and had 50 yd. Field goals in NFL history, and I still hold the record for the longest field goal ever in the first quarter of a National Football League game (58 yards). And I am still the Kansas City Chiefs all-time leading scorer. To find the balance that I craved. I worked in more than half of my off-seasons in Washington for 3 US Senators for the Secretary of Transportation, Elizabeth Dole for President Reagan on Drug Abuse policy, for President HW Bush, helping launch the Points of Light Foundation, and for President Clinton helping launch Americorps, the domestic Peace Corps.
My life is about re-branding the notion of homelessness, focusing on the individual stories. Champions for the Homeless has now had sixty-five events In seventeen years, giving out One thousand pairs of socks, one thousand pairs of underwear, one thousand pairs of T-shirts, one thousand flowers, One thousand five dollar gift certificates to McDonald’s or Starbucks 100 haircuts, 2 chiropractors and acupuncturist, and tons of donated quality clothing. The point is to overwhelm our homeless Brothers and sisters with the sense that they are just as important as us and that they are entirely supported and loved by us during this tough time, Which has witnessed an exponential increase in elderly and pediatric homelessness. (In July alone, 7000 people were evicted from their homes in Maricopa County.) We put a human face on the homeless. In addition, we have anywhere from 5-15 NFL players join us wearing their jerseys. It is a beautiful event that continued and endured the challenge throughout COVID-19 as we made Phoenix the first city in the country to provide free COVID testing for the homeless.
Today, I do public speaking. I just spoke to the annual leadership program for the Scottsdale Police Department last week. I have spent a lot of time supporting the border patrol during this tough time at the border. I am working with Chris Clem, the chief of the Southwest border patrol the last two years. I’m also a brand ambassador for 1 of the best tequilas in the country, El Bandido Yankee (featured in Forbes and Rolling Stone), and for two outstanding AI companies, one Alzheimer’s Treatment Centers of America and the other Massive Blue, which is already working with law enforcement to catch the child and human traffickers and fentanyl traffickers. In March, I accompanied three other NFL players on a tour of the death camps in Poland and the holocaust history. Then, I escorted a hundred Ukrainian Jewish refugees safely from Poland to Israel. Life is blissfully busy, and I’m truly blessed to be able to get others to help out and heal this country, One human being at a time. I wrote this quote in a speech 30 years ago. And it still applies today, which is, “It’s not the brightness of the spotlight on you, but the intensity of the light within you, that is the ultimate measure of a human being.” https://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/an-ivy-league-scholar-and-an-excellent-philanthropist-nick-lowery-assists-people-in-unleashing-their-focus-passion-and-purpose
Can you talk to us about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned? Looking back, has it been easy or smooth in retrospect?
As I wrote before, I was cut by 8 NFL teams 11 times over 2 years, so it was tough — when I speak. The central theme is that mistakes are our biggest blessings and lessons because they teach us how to do things correctly faster if we’re not afraid to make mistakes in the short term, as everybody does. Today, I work closely with super agent Leigh Steinberg, the agent for Chiefs superstar QB Patrick Mahomes. Our goal is to continue to inspire other athletes with this enormous platform to bring us together through Service out of love, empathy, and intentional, creative, and consistent action.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve answered most of those questions, but I’m most proud of witnessing within myself the growth in empathy and skill sets to help others live out their unique purpose. I’m pleased to become the first NFL player to graduate with a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Subsequently, on my fellowship at Harvard, I developed a leadership program for Native American youth. (NBNY – Have an excellent nine-minute video on it if you google “Nick Lowery Foundation Video Youtube,” Which I have performed over the last 20 years. I am proud that I became chairman of the National Fund for American Indian Education even though I was the only non-Indian on the board, Testifying before Senate Indian Affairs Committee Chairman Ben Nighthorse Campbell in 2003 and then two years later, before Chairman Senator John Mccain. My purpose on this Earth is to continue—the legacy of John F. Kennedy’s famous inaugural speech, where he said. “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country—native Vision, which I started 27 years ago with Johns Hopkins Center for American Indian Health. The NFL player association was thriving in its 27th year and was featured on Oprah with General Colin Powell. I am presenting the 5 best programs for youth in the country.
Are any books, apps, podcasts, or blogs that help you do your best?
- The Bible, Proverbs 17:17
- A New Earth by Eckhart Tolle
- Arnold Toynbee’s seminal work, a Study of History
- Despatches by Michael Herr about the realities of the Vietnam War
- The Inner Game of Tennis, by Timothy Galway
Pricing:
- Email me what you want me to do
- Speaking out of Town (Phx home base) $10k-15k
- Speaking in Town $2-8k
- Personally Autographed NFL footballs for $200
- Chief’s “bling” necklace 100% benefiting Champions for the Homeless, $275
Contact Info:
- Website: Www.Loweryspeaks.com and www.nicklowery.org
- Instagram: NickLowery88
- Facebook: Nick Lowery “Nick The Kick”
- Linkedin: Nick Lowery
