Senior Sam Haswell didn’t wait for the perfect opportunity. Rather, he built his professional career by saying yes to the ones in front of him.
“I know I’ve always wanted to work in sports,” Haswell said. “It’s a dream I have, so I figured I might as well go for it.”
As a double major in sports broadcasting and strategic communication, he has spent the last four years turning that dream into reality. Immediately after graduation, Haswell is packing up and moving to Michigan for a job with the National Football League.
He landed a job as a football communications associate with the Detroit Lions, one of only 32 NFL teams. In this role, he will support media relations by producing content, managing press operations, coordinating interviews and assisting with game-day communications.
Haswell’s interest in sports media started long before college.
“My grandfather is a sportswriter,” Haswell said. “That’s always been something I’ve been around.”
That early influence carried into his time at TCU, where he began by immersing himself in sports communications with TCU Athletics.
Working in the Big Leagues
“That was kind of a lot of just working games, helping with press releases,” he said. “I got to do a lot of different work.”
From there, Haswell consistently took on more responsibility, building experience across writing, social media and media relations. His approach was simple.
“Every time someone offered me to do something, I would say yes,” he said.
Haswell recognized he also needed to diversify, so he sought other opportunities. He worked with the TCU Marketing & Communication office for two years as a student worker and earned a competitive summer internship with the communications division of BNSF Railway.
His hard work and willingness to step in led directly to his first major professional sports opportunity.
Shortly after the Texas Rangers won the 2023 World Series, a connection through his current position at TCU Athletics opened the door for students to help join their team.
“I was like, are you kidding me? That’s my dream,” Haswell said.
He worked postseason games, gaining experience in a high-pressure professional environment. The following summer, he returned for MLB All-Star Week, continuing to build relationships and credibility.
The Road to Professional Sports
At the time, Haswell wasn’t sure whether his efforts were standing out.
“I’ve always tried to go above and beyond because this is what I want to do with my life,” he said. “I made it a point to help wherever I could – if there wasn’t something to do, I’d find something. I just wanted to be useful. So, when my boss with the Rangers said, ‘Hey, come work with me at the Mavs – I know how hard of a worker you are,’ I was proud. It felt like all that effort paid off.”
For Haswell, the moment was a clear turning point, proof that his work hadn’t gone unnoticed.
“As an intern, you sometimes feel like you’re in the background and no one really sees what you’re doing,” he said.
“That was when I realized people were really paying attention and it opened the door to another opportunity. I was really proud!”
Preparation Meets Opportunity
Haswell credits his coursework in Schieffer College with preparing him for those opportunities, especially his classes with strategic communication Instructor II Russ Mack.
“If I had to pick a teacher, Professor Mack was the absolute G.O.A.T,” Haswell said. “I took him for writing and editing and strategic writing.”
Not only does he consider Mack the “greatest of all time,” but Haswell also said those classes emphasized practical things like Associated Press style and exposed him to a range of writing formats beyond the press releases and recaps he was used to.
“It helped me understand not just how important it is, but how to actually use it,” he said.
The assignments often mirrored real-world work. In one class, Haswell wrote a feature story about his grandfather. Soon after, he was asked to write similar feature stories during his internship with BNSF Railway.
“I was like, this is literally what I was doing in class,” he said. “It was basically like job assignments. ‘Go write this article, go write that,’ It really prepared me for what I was doing.”
Balancing a Demanding Schedule
But what stands out most about Haswell’s college career is not just where he worked. It is how he managed it all. While taking on multiple internships, Haswell was also completing a double major, requiring careful planning and discipline.
“My freshman year, I was the worst at time management,” he said. “I was the classic college student.”
By his junior year, he had developed a system to keep everything on track.
“Google Calendar saved my life,” he said.
He structured his days around early-morning work, classes and additional responsibilities, creating a routine that allowed him to keep up with both academics and professional commitments. Even with that structure, the workload was demanding. Haswell often balanced multiple roles at once while maintaining his academic progress.
“One of my biggest goals for this upcoming season is just kind of like being the best person I can be and taking advantage of every opportunity I can,” he said. “I know that there’s a world where this is the last time I ever get a chance to work in sports. And if this is the last chance, that’s fine, I can accept that. But I definitely want to make sure I can say I gave it my all.”
Off to the NFL
When it came time to apply for jobs after graduation, Haswell knew he wanted to work in the NFL, and he was willing to go where he needed to be to make that happen. He applied to every team that had a year-round associate position.
“I’m obviously really lucky to have this opportunity,” he said. “There are only 32 NFL teams, and who knows how many interns and communications staff there are for each one. So, I don’t want to get complacent. I want to keep working hard but also take a step back and enjoy it – finding that balance between giving it my all and appreciating the moment.”
Looking back, Haswell says a single instance does not define his progress, but rather a consistent willingness to take initiative and put in the work.
“Take every opportunity you can and don’t be afraid to put yourself out there,” he said. “Even small things can end up paying off. Give everything your full effort and be proud of what you turn in, because your work is what people remember you by.”