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From Atari to the NFL: Why Connection is the Counterintuitive Secret to Game-Changing Impact
In a world driven by data, the key to record-setting business outcomes isn’t another spreadsheet—it’s human connection. Jennifer Langton has achieved hard, measurable results in vastly different worlds, from restructuring iconic brands like Atari to driving NFL concussion rates to historic lows. Her success is powered by one repeatable sequence: Connect, Trust, Grow. In this post, Jennifer shares her personal story and unpacks this three-step framework, revealing how any leader can use authentic connection to unlock both powerful professional results and profound personal impact.
I’ve spent my career sprinting toward problems most people sidestep.
By way of introduction, I’m Jennifer Langton—former Atari CFO and the NFL’s first senior vice president of Player Health & Innovation.
It’s a career path that often raises a question I hear all the time: “How does a CFO from the gaming industry end up running the high-stakes innovation platform at the NFL—the very one tasked with predicting and preventing injuries for the world’s most elite athletes?”
The answer is simple. I asked for it.
But how I was able to ask for it, bridge that gap, and ultimately deliver on that promise is the real story.
It’s a story built on a three-step model that has guided every breakthrough in my life: Connect, Trust, Grow.
This framework wasn’t created in a boardroom. It was forged on the lacrosse field, tested in the corporate world, and proven in one of the most demanding environments on the planet. And it all started with a year that brought me to my knees.
The Catalyst: Turning Setbacks into Purpose
The same year I tore my ACL, ending my career as a Division I All-American athlete, I lost my mother to cancer. It was a period of profound loss. But I discovered a truth that has defined my life ever since: Our greatest setbacks are often the catalysts for our greatest growth.
I channeled that pain into a purpose. I decided to dedicate my career to ensuring that what happened to me—an injury that could have been better understood and potentially prevented—wouldn’t happen to others. That personal mission became the fuel for my work, and it was the key to unlocking my role at the NFL. I didn’t just ask for a job; I asked for a leadership role to create transformation and impact the lives of athletes.
The Framework: Connect, Trust, Grow
This personal mission is the soul of my work, but CTG is the engine.
It’s a simple, repeatable approach I’ve applied across five industries to drive meaningful change.
And it comes with one non-negotiable rule: if you don’t connect first, nothing else works.
1. CONNECT: The Foundation of Everything
When I pivoted from finance to player safety, I couldn’t lead with spreadsheets. I had to connect on a human level. I led with my story—my injury, my passion, my purpose. I connected with scientists, engineers, coaches, and players by showing them the why behind my unconventional career change. That authentic connection was the only way to bridge the gap from “gaming CFO” to “credible health and safety leader.”
Connection is the seed. Without it, nothing can grow.
2. TRUST: The Bridge from Relationship to Results
Once you’ve made a genuine connection, you can build trust. In my early career, I earned trust by backing my ideas with data and owning the tough truths. At the NFL, this was even more critical. I had to prove that my financial acumen and data-driven approach could be applied to player safety. Trust meant creating a culture of transparency, sharing data openly, and empowering diverse teams to contribute their expertise without fear.
Trust turns a group of individuals into a powerful, collaborative team. It’s the bridge that carries you from a shared mission to tangible action.
Trust is the water that nourishes the seed of connection.
3. GROW: The Harvest of Your Impact
With connection as your foundation and trust as your bridge, growth becomes inevitable. At the NFL, the trust we built allowed us to scale groundbreaking solutions. We moved from ideas to impact—from new helmet technology to injury-predicting AI—because everyone was invested in the mission and trusted the process. We achieved record-breaking safety improvements because we grew together.
Growth is where setbacks become strengths and challenges become opportunities for innovation. It’s the harvest you reap from the hard work of connecting and building trust.
Your Turn to Build Impact
This isn’t just my story; it’s a roadmap for you.
If you want to lead change, transform your career, or build something that matters, start here.
Remember the sequence:
● If you don’t connect first, you can’t build trust.
● If you don’t build trust, growth is just a dream.
So today, ask yourself:
1. CONNECT: Who do I need to connect with authentically? What part of my own story can I share to build a genuine foundation?
2. TRUST: What can I do to earn trust with my team and stakeholders? How can I trust myself to take a bold, data-backed step?
3. GROW: How can I turn a current challenge or setback into an opportunity for growth and transformation?
When you master this simple, three-step process, you’ll unlock your own ability to turn any challenge into your greatest impact. You just have to be willing to connect first.
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