Mary Crippen has turned her love of the NFL into a one-of-a-kind class that teaches courage, integrity, commitment, honesty and respect alongside math and reading. Its “grid geography”-style curriculum uses real professional football schedules, statistics and standings to engage even the most reluctant learners, then challenges them to see how the values behind the game apply to their own lives.
This innovative work was recognized when former Pro Football Hall of Famer and Miami Dolphins Dwight Stephenson entered his classroom with Brittney and Jarrett Payton, the children of Pro Football Hall of Famer Walter Payton, to present the Hall’s first-ever Character Award, an honor created to recognize teachers, nurses, coaches, first responders and veterans whose impact extends far beyond their job titles. The Awards of Character are presented through a partnership between the Pro Football Hall of Fame and USA TODAY Co.
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Surrounded by her third graders, Crippen listened as Stephenson and the Paytons explained why her curriculum, social media reach and emphasis on character put her “in a class by herself.” For Crippen, the moment was surreal — not because of the spotlight, but because it showed students that what they do in the classroom each day matters just as much as what happens on the field.
About the educator
Crippen teaches third grade in Miami-Dade County public schools, where she is best known for shouting “Class, class!” » – and hear a chorus of “Yes, yes! ” in response – as she leads students through lessons built around the NFL season. In the video, students talk about how she “teaches math and soccer” together and how “the whole class, including Ms. Crippin, we all work together and it’s really fun.”
His passion for teaching runs in the family. She says she became a teacher because of her mother, who taught fifth grade and once ran her own NFL program called “grid geography.” Years ago, his mother used this idea to reach out to a group of fifth-grade boys who weren’t doing their homework; Once they drafted teams and tied their missions to football, “they came to life.” Today, Crippen has taken that concept “to a whole new level,” as his mother proudly notes.
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Her colleagues and family members describe her as “the epitome of goodness,” someone who always puts the community first and “works for others.” One parent says she embodies traits that would make any Hall of Famer proud, from selflessness to the belief that every child deserves a seat at the table.
Mary Crippen, center, third grade teacher at Pinecrest Elementary, is joined by Jarrett Payton and Brittney Payton who presented the Pro Football Hall of Fame Character Award to Crippen for her innovative work in her Florida classroom.
Educational innovations anchored in football
In Crippen’s room, football is a hook, not a distraction. She might stop mid-lesson, realize that the students don’t quite understand, and shift gears right then and there – stopping. Miami Dolphins Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s past numbers and asking, “Which game did he have the most passing yards?” » As students shout “Patriots! Patriots!” they also interpret data, compare performance, and explain their thinking.
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His classes regularly mix division rankings, weekly matchups and match predictions with basic academic skills. Students write their names on prediction cards, track the results and “clap” when the Dolphins score a big win, all while practicing reading, writing and math in a context that matters to them. One student says, “I like to do division rankings. We make predictions. Then we get the matchups,” describing how these routines make learning feel like game day.
Social networks have amplified its impact. Her mother points out that the program is no longer just a local project: people in Belgium, Australia and China who “didn’t know anything about football” follow her as she teaches rankings and explains the basics of the sport. This global interest highlights how his approach uses the language of football to teach universal lessons about numbers, strategy and character.
Why the Hall of Fame honored her
The Pro Football Hall of Fame is partnering with USA TODAY to spotlight individuals whose work reflects the Canton Sanctuaries’ core values: courage, integrity, commitment, honesty and respect. As part of this initiative, the Hall honors not only players, but also teachers, nurses, coaches, firefighters, police officers and veterans whose contributions are “invaluable.”
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Crippen was chosen as the first-ever recipient of the Character Award. During the surprise visit, a Hall of Fame representative explains to her class that she is “in a class by herself,” noting that her program has touched “millions of people around the world” and inspired fans who once knew nothing about football to care about both the game and the lessons it contains.
Hall of Famer Dwight Stephenson, a legendary offensive lineman for the Miami Dolphins, joins the presentation, emphasizing the connection between the gold jacket standard in Canton and the “small” daily work that goes on in an elementary classroom. For the Hall, honoring Crippen sends the message that the values he celebrates are lived not only in the stadiums, but also in the schools where teachers are quietly changing lives.
Brittney Payton, back left, joins third-grade teacher Mary Crippen, Pro Football Hall of Famer Dwight Stephenson and Jarrett Payton, along with Crippen’s third-grade class, to present the Hall’s Award of Character honoring Crippen’s innovative work in the classroom.
How she and her students reacted
The students first learn that “we are here to surprise Ms. Crippen today” and that she is receiving an award from the Pro Football Hall of Fame. As visitors unveil the first-ever character award, the room buzzes with excitement. One guest shares that his own father is a Hall of Famer who played for the Chicago Bears, giving the class another tangible connection to the sport they play.
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When asked what she hopes students take away from her teaching, Crippen doesn’t talk about test scores. Instead, she tells them that “anything can happen, no matter the odds, no matter what people tell you is going to happen.” Even if there’s only a 0.2 percent chance of getting an A, winning a race, or succeeding in a gymnastics competition, she says, you “give it everything you’ve got because anything can happen.”
She urges them to go after what they want, to “go out there and get it” and to remember that if “people don’t have a place for you at the table, then you grab your own chair and sit at the table.” Reflecting on the honor, she calls it “surreal” to see her two passions – the NFL and education – recognized by the Hall of Fame. She says she wakes up every day “excited to come to school” and that there is “never a day I don’t want to be here,” seeing this award as a byproduct of simply doing what she loves with and for her students.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: Miami Teacher Uses NFL to Teach, Wins Hall of Fame Award
