TED CREWS VP OF COMMUNICATIONS FOR KANSAS CITY CHIEFS BY E. JEROME PEARSON JR.
The Kansas City Chiefs (Vice President of Communications) “Ted Crews” began his journey to the NFL from the small town of Orangeburg S.C, where he earned his Bachelor’s degree in English. As a student at SCSU, Ted interned under legendary Sports Information Director, Bill Hamilton. Crews is one of four Bulldog graduates mentored by Hamilton, who landed opportunities in the professional sports ranks. Avis Roper who is the senior director of media relations for FOX Sports in New York after tenures with the NFL’s New York Giants and Indianapolis Colts; Corey Bowdre formerly worked as a senior sales assistant with the Boston Red Sox; and Damon White was once an assistant communications director with Urban Sports and Entertainment of Cornelius, NC; each were also mentored by Hamilton. Through Hamilton’s relationships, Crews was given an opportunity with the Carolina Panthers as a summer intern, which he did for a couple of years before getting offered a fulltime position. HBCU TIMES: First and foremost, let’s talk a little bit about your background and history. I was doing some research and I see that while you were an intern with the Carolina Panthers, you were also a student assistant in the sports information office at SC State as an undergraduate. That seems like a lot. How was that experience ?
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TED CREWS: It was definitely a lot. I would spend Saturdays covering games for SCSU and would drive over 2 hours the next morning to cover games for the Carolina Panthers while receiving zero compensation, which I didn’t mind since I knew that achieving my goal would take hard work and my reward would be far greater than money”. HBCU TIMES: It seems like you learned the value of hard work at a young age ? TED CREWS: Hard work was instilled in me at a young age. “Work is important. Put in the work and anything is possible. For me, it goes all the way back to my parents. My dad is the person that taught me how to work, what work is, not to watch the clock, to enjoy the journey. HBCU TIMES: You have accomplished a lot during your 22 years of communications experience in the NFL. You have worked for the Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons, St. Louis Rams, and now the Vice President of Communications for the Kansas City Chiefs, who just won the 2020 Super bowl. I also see that you were the recipient of the “Salute to Excellence” Award by the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation. How does it feel to have accomplished so much at this level coming from an HBCU”?
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TED CREWS: It has been an honor being a part of a super bowl winning organization and it was an honor being awarded by John Wooden and the recipients before me. I take pride in this
