Every September, fans across the country settle into couches, stadium seats, and sports bars with the same anticipation. The football season begins, and for the next several months we get to witness the complexity of the game: strategy, athleticism, competition, and drama. Every year there are new stars, unexpected contenders, and, of course, the inevitable moments when a team finds itself down big on the scoreboard.

Being down is a universal experience in sports and in life. Most love the highlight reels that capture the game-winning touchdown or the improbable interception that swings momentum. But those moments do not exist in a vacuum. They come only after struggle. To make a comeback, you have to be behind. In fact, being down is not just a challenge. It is the only opportunity for a comeback.

The 28–3 Lesson

Perhaps the most famous comeback in NFL history came in Super Bowl LI. The New England Patriots were down 28–3 to the Atlanta Falcons late in the third quarter. Tom Brady later admitted that he thought 28 might actually be enough for Atlanta to win. Yet he also shifted focus to the smallest possible next step: “One score. Just one.”

The Patriots scored, then scored again. The defense made a stop, and the energy changed. With each possession the impossible seemed less so, until the game was tied and eventually won in overtime.

The lesson is simple: what could have been the worst night of Brady’s career became one of the defining victories in NFL history. But that was only possible because he and his teammates were down. Without the deficit, there would be no comeback story to tell.

Why Being Down Creates Opportunity

In sports, deficits clarify purpose. When you are behind, you no longer have the luxury of coasting or assuming tomorrow will be better. The urgency forces focus. Coaches call their best plays. Players push past fatigue. Teams discover resilience that does not surface when things are easy.

The same is true in life. When we face layoffs, firing, financial strain, illness, or personal loss, it can feel like being down 28–3. Yet those are the moments that strip away distractions. They challenge us to discover grit, to redefine goals, and to summon the strength to move forward. The very state of being down creates the context for our greatest growth.

You cannot come back if you have never been behind. Adversity is not an interruption to success. It is the soil from which success grows. One of the most impressive parts of great comebacks is not just the execution of plays but the composure required under pressure. When Brady gathered his offense, he did not scream about the scoreboard. He simply said, “One score.” That composure allowed the team to stay present, focused, and confident.

In our own setbacks, panic often makes the deficit worse. But composure, even when the situation looks bleak, creates space for problem-solving. It is in the calm of mind that new strategies emerge and confidence is restored.

Small Wins Build Momentum

A comeback rarely happens all at once. It unfolds in stages. Score once. Make a stop. Score again. Suddenly the game that felt lost is within reach. In life, the same principle applies. If you are deep in debt, you cannot erase it overnight. But you can make the next payment. If your health is suffering, you cannot restore it instantly. But you can go exercise today, then again tomorrow. Each small win creates momentum, and momentum is the secret ingredient of comebacks.

No comeback is the product of one player alone. Brady needed his offensive line to protect, receivers to get open, running backs to find gaps, and a defense to step up when it mattered. Likewise, in life, comebacks depend on community. Family, friends, colleagues, and mentors form the support system that makes resilience possible. No one overcomes a 28–3 deficit in isolation. Success is a collective achievement.

I know this lesson not only from the NFL but from my own experience at Western Michigan University. As provost, I stepped into leadership during a period of decline for the university. Every day brought challenges that tested our resolve, from navigating declining enrollments to making tough calls about equity in higher education. The criticism was often sharp, the obstacles steep, and the pressure relentless. But I quickly learned that my strength was never mine alone.

The real comeback for WMU came from the community itself. It created the space for colleagues to stay late and work through solutions. It opened resources for staff and faculty to implement innovation even when the path seemed unclear. It sparked countless conversations that shaped strategies and sustained hope. The victories that followed such as—setting campus records for retention and graduation, and increasing Black enrollment in the incoming class by nearly thirty percent—were not the product of one individual. They emerged from team resilience, shared purpose, and the conviction that together the community could move the institution forward.

Now, as I return to the life of a scholar and public intellectual, I carry that lesson with me. The resilience I practice is not solitary grit but a deep trust in my team. My ability to readjust after resigning to quickly “win” has depended on my team— my support network of colleagues in the field, mentors, and peers who continue to extend opportunities and share wisdom. Writing alongside colleagues, seizing openings created by others, and engaging in dialogue that sharpens ideas all remind me that winning is a team effort. A comeback is not about reclaiming, but about building with others, moving forward with clarity, solidarity, and purpose toward victory.

Conclusion: Down But Never Out

This season, fans will once again watch their pro and college teams face moments of glory and heartbreak. Some will celebrate victories, others will lament losses. But every team, at some point, will be down. And those moments are not the end. They are the only times when a comeback is possible. The thrill of football mirrors the resilience of the human spirit. Maybe we watch because the game reflects the complexities and unpredictability life. We know what it feels like to be down, and we long to believe that no matter how steep the deficit, a comeback is still within reach.

Yet, not every comeback ends with a trophy. Sometimes the fight itself has to be the victory. When you respond to being down with determination, when you refuse to give in to despair, you redefine what success looks like. You discover courage, integrity, and growth. The truth is that the scoreboard will not always favor you. But the mindset of a comeback transforms even defeat into progress. The comeback is not about guaranteeing a win. It is about guaranteeing that you gave your best effort in the face of challenge.

As the football season begins, remember this: being down is not the end. It is the opening act of a comeback. The deficit is not a disaster. It is an invitation to grasp victory. The story of 28–3 in Super Bowl LI lives on because it shows us that the lowest moment can become the starting point for greatness. So, this season, may we all embrace the truth: when you are down, it is the perfect opportunity to rise, fight, and come back stronger.

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Julian Vasquez Heilig is a nationally recognized policy scholar, public intellectual, and civil rights advocate. A trusted voice in public policy, he has testified for state legislatures, the U.S. Congress, the United Nations, and the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, while also advising presidential and gubernatorial campaigns. His work has been cited by major outlets including The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Los Angeles Times, and he has appeared on networks from MSNBC and PBS to NPR and DemocracyNow!. He is a recipient of more than 30 honors, including the 2025 NAACP Keeper of the Flame Award, Vasquez Heilig brings both scholarly rigor and grassroots commitment to the fight for equity and justice.