This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Samantha Gordon, the 10-year-old girl from South Jordan who became a football phenomenon last season, is featured in an NFL promotional campaign that kicks off Thursday night during the Kansas City-Philadelphia game on NFL Network.
The commercial, shot recently in the family's neighborhood, also will air during every NFL telecast Sunday and Monday on Fox, CBS, NBC and ESPN. She is "both the inspiration and the blueprint" for a NFL promotion, according to the league's news release.
"Last year, something extraordinary happened with this amazing little girl," said NFL Films supervising producer Keith Cossrow. "We want to find and celebrate the stories of everyone who loves football and is connected to the game in some way."
So the NFL is launching "Together We Make Football — Your Story," inviting players and fans of the game at all levels to share stories of why they love it. An NFL Films documentary will cover five people who will be honored at the Super Bowl in February.
Gordon's story began when her father, Brent, posted a highlight video from her Ute Conference season as a running back for Herriman's team. The video received some 5 million views. Her popularity led to numerous invitations, including a trip to the Super Bowl in New Orleans as a guest of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. She is not playing football this season, having chosen to concentrate on soccer.
For information about submitting stories, go to TogetherWeMakeFootball.com