As part of our #WomenInNFL blog series, we showcase the incredible females who led the way for women in the league, and this week I’d like you to meet Connie (Nicholas) Carberg.
Who is Connie Carberg?
Connie Carberg broke barriers when she became the first female scout for the NFL. Her father was the team doctor for the New York Jets, so it was inevitable that football would play a large part of her life. Her childhood consisted of watching sports, playing sports, and occasional dinners with Football Hall of Famer Joe Namath. Anyone else jealous right now?
How it all started?
Connie’s career started in 1974 after gaining her college degree in Home Economics. The New York Jets offered her a job as a secretary, which included making notes on game footage and players.
When the Jets needed to add another traveling scout to their team, General Manager Weeb Ewbank proposed the unthinkable. He said, “Why not promote Connie to the position?” She was practically already trained, after all. And so Connie scouted college players and helped the Jets decide who to draft for several seasons.
In 1979 she pointed the Jets to Mark Gastineau who went on to be one of the best players in the team’s history.
What is Connie Carberg up to now?
Although Connie’s stint as an NFL scout only lasted a few years, it was a remarkable feat considering it was the mid-1970s. Her striking career with the New York Jets was recently highlighted in a feature for NFL Films, and her experiences were the primary focus of Elisabeth Meinecke’s book, ‘Xs and Os Don’t Mean I Love You: The Untold Story of the NFL’s First Female Scout’.
Photo copyright: Connie Carberg (@ConnieScouts)