Karl Mecklenburg

Karl Mecklenburg went from a college walk-on to three Super Bowl and six Pro-Bowl appearances. His Six Keys to Success will motivate and inspire your team with lessons learned on and off the field.

Expert on

  • Leadership
  • Celebrity
  • Success
  • Motivation
  • Inspirational
  • Sports / Athletics

Fee Range

$12,000–$15,000

Travels from

CO, US

Biography

Karl Mecklenburg rose from a college walk-on and twelfth round draft choice to an NFL career that included three Super Bowl and six Pro Bowl appearances.  Karl has been a semifinalist for the Pro Football Hall of Fame each of the last 7 years.  The former Denver Broncos Captain spent his entire twelve year career in Denver and makes Colorado his home now.  Mecklenburg was arguably the most versatile player in the NFL, playing all seven defensive front positions – often in the course of a single game!  Karl was selected as the AFC Linebacker of the Year, AFC Player of the Year, and since retiring from the NFL has been enshrined in the Denver Broncos Ring of Fame, the Colorado Sports Hall of Fame, and the Edina Athletic Hall of Fame.  

A Certified Speaking Professional and member of the National Speakers Association, Karl is a motivational speaker and author inspiring long-term positive change in teams and individuals.  He approaches his speaking career with the same intellegence, passion, and work ethic that punctuated his great football career.  Ask about discounts for local, school, and church events. His latest book, Heart of a Student Athlete: All Pro Advice for Competitors and Their Families, offers advice to young athletes and their loved ones about what it really takes to be successful in sports and life, and is a Mom’s Choice Gold Award winner. 

Speaker Videos

KEY LESSONS FROM THE LINEBACKER

Key Lessons from the Lineback will give your attendees the Six Keys to Success that Karl used to rise from a college walk-on to the most versatile player in the NFL.

His presentation will be tailored to the needs of your group, and is full of humor and the life lessons that the rigors of the NFL taught him. Teamwork – leadership is the ultimate form of teamwork, “think we not me”; Courage to try new things and the courage to be decisive; Dedication – hard work, constant learning, and refusing to quit; Desire – your dreams, your passion, your mission; Honesty and Forgiveness, with others and in self evaluation; and Goal Setting – the short term, reasonable, specific steps that take you to your desires. These are the keys that you can apply at work, in your relationships, in your personal life – basically to anything that is important to you and your organization. 

MAKE EVERY DAY GAME DAY; THE FIVE CS OF LEADERSHIP

Every day is game day in business. There are many different types of leaders, but effective leadership is grounded in the 1) Clarity and 2) Consistancy of a leaders’ actions regarding these three Cs.  

3) Cornerstones, or the non negotiable purpose of the team
4) Commitment, or the vision of where the team is going
5) Connection, or who is on the team, and what are they capable of

Mecklenburg’s story telling style and solid examples help your team understand that they are leaders as long as the 5 Cs are part of their thinking and actions every day.

HONESTY; THE CLEAR PATH TO SUCCESS (TED TALK)

This is a 10 to 15 minute TED style presentation.  Transparency is a buzz word that we all encounter and many aspire to acheive.  Honesty goes beyond transparency.  Where transparency says you are welcome to look, honesty says this is what I did and why I did it.  Honesty in self evaluation, and honesty in a team setting, make growth and success possible.  Mecklenburgs’ moving examples of honesty set the stage for personal and team growth.

SAFETY FROM A LINEBACKER: TACKLING YOUR SAFETY CULTURE

Like many industries, the NFL is struggling to develop and enforce safety regulations. It’s a challenge for any organization to maintain and regulate a culture of safety.  Karl Mecklenburg’s credibility as a teammate and leader in the NFL, and his story-telling style as a speaker bring excitement to your safety meeting.  Karl will work with your team to stress the points you need him to cover in a tailored keynote.  Karl says, “My job is to help the meeting professional put together a memorable event.” Time with your people off stage, including photos and autographs, is encouraged