On December 13th, 2024, ESPN debuted their documentary, New York Sack Exchange, as part of their 30 for 30 series. The documentary tells the story of Marty Lyons, Abdul Salaam, Joe Klecko, and Mark Gastineau, dubbed the New York Sack Exchange, and how, together, they formed one of the most dominant defensive lines in NFL history. However, the Sack Exchange may not have ever come to be without the work of a young NFL scout, Connie Carberg, who, as the NFL’s first female scout, was no stranger to making history herself.

The Spark

Carberg’s first introduction to the gridiron came when her dad and uncle were hired as Jets team doctors. With her family highly involved in the organization, Carberg started learning as much as possible. 

“Players and coaches were always over at the house, and we grew up with the Super Bowl team. When John Riggins (Jets fullback) was playing with all these different people, he would teach me a lot,” she told Greater Than The Game   

Growing up, her love for sports extended past football. She played basketball in high school before going on to Ohio State. It was here, as a Buckeye, that her love for football reached a whole new level when Ohio State coach Woody Hayes allowed her to attend all team practices. 

The Trailblazer 

After graduating from college, she got a job as a receptionist at Jets headquarters. Impressed with her football knowledge, she was eventually promoted to scouting secretary. As scouting secretary, she would work as a secretary and perform scouting duties. It was here that she would become the first female to make a draft selection in the NFL. She would also make her mark on the organization by discovering Mark Gastineau before the senior bowl in 1979. Click the video below to find out how she discovered the player who would hold the NFL’s single-season sack record for 17 seasons. 

The Message    

During her career with the Jets, Connie Carberg broke the mold of what an NFL scout could be. She told Greater Than The Game that she never realized the impact of her career until much later. At the time, she just thought of herself as a scout. She attributed the lack of other women in the industry to a lack of interest, but decades later, that has all changed. As of 2023, there are more than 223 working full-time in coaching or football operations. This is was 141% increase from 2020. Carberg advises anyone challenging the status quo in their career, family, school, or community don’t let being the first be the focus,

“Don’t do it to be the first. Do it because you love it!”she told Greater Than The Game

Click the play button below to listen to the full podcast with Connie Carberg, in which she discusses in depth the challenges, successes, and lessons she learned over the course of her scouting career. You can also enjoy the 30 for 30 New York Sack Exchange on YouTube and other streaming services.

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