I’m an NFL Veteran Who Has Been ‘The New Guy’ 7 Times. Here Are My 9 Lessons for Starting a New Job.

The first thing a new teammate wants to know is whether you’re there to take their job. They may not say it out loud, but everybody is thinking it.

I know because I’ve been that guy seven times, across six teams. I’m a linebacker in my 13th NFL season, a two-time Super Bowl champion, and a Pro Bowler. This September I joined the Minnesota Vikings. I signed to the practice squad, the team’s developmental roster after training camp had already ended, and after three game-day call-ups, I was added to the active roster. Over the years, I’ve been the rookie, the starter, and the veteran who signs after the season has started. I’ve also watched plenty of new guys walk into the facility. Your workplace may not have a locker room, but you’ve been on one side of this: the new hire sizing up the room, or the veteran sizing up the new hire.

If you’re the new hire:

1. Take it all in. I came into the Vikings locker room recognizing a few friendly faces, like Andrew Van Ginkel, who was my teammate in Miami. During my first week with the Vikings, I was in listen mode. I didn’t want to come in loud or play the know-it-all, and I definitely didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. Spend your first week noticing who people go to for answers, and save your opinions until you know the players.
2. Let your results do the talking. In my first three games with the Vikings, I had 1.5 sacks and four tackles for loss, and the guys started treating me differently. During practice, I always call out everything I’m seeing, down to the formation, and people notice that I’m prepared to do my job. Pick one visible project in your first month and deliver it. If the room starts out lukewarm, don’t take it too personally. Just do your best and let the results do the talking.
3. Be willing to start at the bottom. In Baltimore, the Ravens organization needed me on the field and treated me as a starter. This season with the Vikings began on the practice squad.  That’s just how it works when you change companies. Every organization has its own pecking order, and you don’t get to pick where you land in the one you just joined. I kept making plays because I know the cream always rises to the top, and within a month I was on the active roster. You may take a smaller role than the one you left. Do the job in front of you well, and let people see it.
4. Skip the rah-rah. In Miami, I was 29 and the second-oldest player on the roster, and the expectation was for me to be the rah-rah leader. During COVID, we couldn’t spend quality time together the same way, and I was trying to lead new teammates I barely knew. Now I do things differently. When something needs to be said, I pull a player aside and ask, “Have you ever thought about this?” Then I explain why. If someone asks for my take, I’m happy to give it, but I’m not chirping just to chirp.
5. Pick up the check. When I got to Minnesota, I took the entire defensive line to dinner. It’s what a veteran is supposed to do. I wanted them to know what I’m about, so I didn’t wait for them to figure it out. Earlier in my career, I’d just walk up and introduce myself. It’s the easiest thing you can do. In your first two weeks, take your new team to dinner or lunch on your dime.

If you’re bringing someone in:

1. Welcome the whole person.  My locker neighbor in Minnesota is Ryan Van Demark, but everyone calls him Vandy. I used to face him when he played in Buffalo, so we were familiar with each other on the field, at least. He invited my son Trae and me to his house to bass fish our first few weeks in Minnesota. Trae had always wanted to catch a bass, and we caught some. I don’t even like fishing, but seeing how hyped Trae was made it a great day and I’m grateful to Vandy.
2. Don’t big time the new guy. After I was drafted to the Detroit Lions in the 2nd round, I spent time battling injuries and was quickly labeled a bust. Calvin Johnson, one of the best receivers ever, had no reason to look my way, but he did. He had me over for dinner and teased me about my running form and how I need to pump my arms, a joke we still trade to this day. He made me feel seen. Take time to acknowledge the new hire, no matter how established you are.
3. Don’t sugarcoat your standards. Someone who joins in the third quarter of the year or once the season has started is already behind, and they know it. Clarity and communication set the whole team up to succeed. Tell them exactly what’s expected, what metrics they need to hit, and what happens if they don’t. Then tell them you’ll help them get up to speed, and put a clock on it. Write down what a good first 30 days looks like and hand it over on day one. Nobody should have to guess.
4. Take care of life outside the office. In the NFL, a new job means finding a place to live, picking schools, sorting out logistics, and settling loved ones into a new city. Sure, adults can figure that out on their own, but the faster you help get someone’s life outside of work in order, the faster they can focus on the job and produce. Give relocating hires a short list: five schools you recommend, mechanics and handymen you trust, your favorite restaurants, and any discounts your company has. In Baltimore, two staff members handled whatever a player needed, from shipping a car to hotels, tickets, and drivers. I’d put one of them in every company.

If someone is about to start at your company, or you’re about to be the new person, these are things that can shorten the learning curve for everyone. Calvin Johnson made it easier for me in Detroit, and Vandy just did it again in Minnesota. I try to do the same for the next guy, because we win as one. And for the record, I still don’t pump my arms when I run.

Kyle Van Noy is a two-time Super Bowl champion and linebacker in his 13th NFL season, now with the Minnesota Vikings. Subscribe to Kyle’s free motivational and business insights on Substack at kylevannoy.com.