"Draped in full black academic regalia, the 46-year-old Lions executive vice president and general manager was addressing the graduates at his alma mater, North Carolina A&T, as the HBCU's commencement speaker. He didn't want to miss the opportunity to inspire change. Speaking from behind a glass lectern at the First Horizon Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina, Holmes delivered a powerful message to the 1,600-plus graduates."
""Choose your hard," Holmes emphasized on the stage. "However, you slice it, whichever path you choose, it's going to be hard. And I tell our scouts that 'til this day: It's hard to be detailed and go the extra mile, dot every I, cross every T. It's also hard not to go the extra mile and be detailed and thorough."
Brad Holmes returned to North Carolina A&T two weeks after finalizing the Detroit Lions' 2025 NFL draft and spoke as the HBCU's commencement speaker. Holmes urged graduates to "choose your hard," stressing that every meaningful path requires difficulty and disciplined attention to detail. He told scouts that consistent thoroughness and going the extra mile are challenging but essential, and he warned that shortcuts carry future consequences. Holmes's leadership helped transform the Lions from a struggling franchise into consecutive playoff participants in 2023 and 2024, including an NFC Championship Game appearance in 2023.
Read at ESPN.com
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