ATLANTA FALCONS RUNNING back Bijan Robinson received an unexpected treat last September when Mary Crippen arrived at Mercedes-Benz Stadium to volunteer for his “Bijan Reads” book fair.
The event was significant for Robinson, as he aimed to assist children, particularly those at a third-grade level, in understanding their learning, setting them up for a brighter future.
“It’s crucial for me, as a role model, to ensure they are getting the right learning materials and support, so they can truly thrive as they grow older,” Robinson shared with ESPN.
While organizing the event, Robinson’s aunt, Cleyrissa Robinson, advised him to involve educators. Crippen, a third-grade teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School in Miami known for utilizing the NFeLementary curriculum, was an ideal candidate.
“I had no idea she was coming,” Robinson remarked. “They surprised me, and many others too. Seeing her there was the most amazing moment.”
Robinson had already recognized Crippen, whose teaching methods have positively impacted grade school classrooms nationwide. Crippen and her Miami third-graders often go viral for engaging with the NFeLementary curriculum, which combines the NFL season and football concepts to enhance student learning.
“With her approach, she ensures her kids are not only having fun but also enjoying the learning process and striving to be their best while competing against each other academically. That’s how you become smart and excel as a student, which is why I believe she’s such a phenomenal teacher,” Robinson stated.
“CLASS, CLASS!” CRIPPEN calls out, prompting her students to respond, “Yes, yes!” as they begin their day.
Students eagerly anticipate Mondays and Thursdays, eagerly checking the board at the front of the classroom for their homework, daily agenda, and this week’s “Monday Night Football” or “Thursday Night Football” matchups.
Before the start of the NFL season, students would arrive in a calm manner, but that changed dramatically once play began.
“They come in excited, saying, ‘I beat you! Did you see that tackle?'” Crippen recounted to ESPN. “It’s amazing to witness the camaraderie and connection they share through football.”
Crippen’s teaching methods are anything but conventional, much like the football-infused curriculum named “NFeLementary.”
Her mother, Donna Martinez, initiated the program in 1999 and had a teaching career spanning 38 years. When a group of boys struggled with math homework, Martinez sought innovative ways to engage them. Drawing inspiration from the Miami Herald, she blended current events into her lesson plans, eventually developing “Gridiron Geography.”
“We drafted football teams and incorporated math concepts into the lessons, observing real progress,” Martinez explained to ESPN. “I needed something both I and the kids could love. They started to sense my passion.”
“Gridiron Geography” evolved into a program that taught students how to use context clues and link them to current events highlighted in newspapers.
Martinez noticed heightened parent engagement in their children’s education and, even after retiring in 2018, continues to receive heartfelt messages and calls of appreciation from her former pupils.
“It’s become the topic of conversation at Monday morning gatherings. Everyone loves football — especially the NFL … and suddenly, local fathers and daughters began bonding over it,” Martinez observed.
Years later, Crippen added her unique flair to the program by weaving in her Miami Dolphins fandom, exciting NFL narratives, and essential educational skills.
Since she started sharing her NFeLementary content in 2023, she has garnered over 599,000 followers on social media platforms. because of this, around 350 educators across North America are now utilizing her innovative curriculum.
CRIPPEN IMMERSED HERSELF in football from a young age, as her family held season tickets for the Dolphins and the Miami Hurricanes.
While she wanted to play tackle football, gender-specific leagues were unavailable, so she engaged in volleyball, softball, and track and field throughout her school years. even if she received the opportunity to play collegiate volleyball, she ultimately opted not to pursue it in her senior year of high school.
“I thought, there’s no future in volleyball for me; I didn’t envision making it to the Olympics,” Crippen said. “I wasn’t particularly tall, so why devote my energy to a team when I wanted a broader college experience?”
Florida State University provided Crippen with that experience and so much more.
During her time there, she faced uncertainty about her professional aspirations, grappling with external expectations.
Joining the Delta Gamma sorority introduced her to a supportive community she hadn’t anticipated. When she discovered that her sorority also participated in an intramural flag football league, she felt an immediate connection.
“I had played volleyball, but for some reason, flag football called to me. Given my background with football, attending games, and my neighborhood play, I knew I was equipped to excel at it.”
Initially a wide receiver, Crippen transitioned into a two-way player and cornerback after encouragement from her coach, former NFL safety Terrence Brooks, who was also a member of the FSU football team at that time.
“On the flag football field, everything else faded away; I felt complete and at peace with myself, free from my struggles,” she shared.
Thanks to Brooks’ mentorship, Crippen was recruited to play for the Florida State club flag football team. Shortly after, Brooks was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the 2014 NFL draft.
“I remember being in the sorority house with my friends, eager to watch the NFL, not just because it was on during gatherings or at home, but because I wanted to witness Terrence’s journey,” Crippen expressed. “I was inspired by him.”
After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in early childhood education and teaching in 2016, Crippen met her husband Tom, who deepened her enthusiasm for the Dolphins. He attended every home game and was a devoted tailgater.
“It felt reminiscent of my childhood — surrounded by boys discussing sports and football. I absolutely reveled in that environment,” she recalled.
CRIPPEN DIDN’T ALWAYS aspire to become a teacher. even if she grew up witnessing her mother in action, she was determined to forge her own path. While at FSU, her ambition was to become a sports nutritionist for the Dolphins, but her interest waned after taking a chemistry course.
One day at a Miami Marlins game, the notion of becoming a teacher struck her mind. She subsequently enrolled in an early childhood program.
Crippen earned her certification in 2016, starting her career in kindergarten before transitioning to third grade in the 2022-23 school year.
“I vividly recall my first week in third grade when my students began discussing [Chiefs quarterback] Patrick Mahomes. I was taken aback; coming from kindergarten, I didn’t expect them to have such insights,” Crippen remarked.
She eagerly informed her mother about her plans to implement NFeLementary with her third graders.
Martinez, who hadn’t transitioned her materials to digital format, lovingly handed Crippen a manila folder adorned with football helmets. Rather than feeling anxious, Crippen was moved, overwhelmed by the significance of receiving her mother’s “everything.”
“Passing her that manila folder was like a symbolic baton; I trusted her with it, and she’s nurtured it into something beautiful,” Martinez reflected.
During the 2023-24 school year, Crippen’s class tracked Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill’s journey toward 2,000 receiving yards.
Students calculated how many yards Hill needed to average weekly, summing his total yardage and what remained. They even shared predictions for his performance in upcoming games.
Hill amassed 102 receiving yards during a Week 12 victory against the New York Jets, and one of Crippen’s students accurately estimated the yardage, earning a “no homework pass.”
though Hill ended the season with 1,799 receiving yards, falling short of the 2,000-yard mark, it didn’t detract from the learning experience. Crippen transformed this setback into a lesson about aspiring high; Hill still broke the Dolphins’ record for receiving yards in a single season and led the league.
Crippen also recalled a moment in 2024 when then-Dolphins tight end Jonnu Smith noticed a lesson she conducted on advocating for oneself. Her students were already learning about Smith’s past and career, but she emphasized him prominently during the lesson. He eventually reached out and visited her classroom to share his perspective.
“He was the player they were learning about. We tied his story to the lesson’s theme, exploring the moral of it through his experiences,” Crippen said. “When he visited, he shared his version of the narrative, making it a truly full-circle experience.”
At the beginning of the 2025-26 school year and NFL season, Crippen’s students followed quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s pursuit of 4,000 passing yards, gaining attention from the Dolphins and the NFL.
“We are acutely aware of Mary and the wonderful work she does by using football as a learning tool,” a Dolphins spokesperson remarked to ESPN. “Over the years, we’ve collaborated with her organization significantly.”
Tagovailoa concluded the season with 2,660 passing yards, falling short of the 4,000-yard goal, but that didn’t affect Crippen’s class as her students were also able to follow their own favorite teams.
She starts each school year with an NFL draft-style lesson, allowing each student to select a team to support throughout the season.
Crippen notes that NFeLementary effectively aids her students in preparing for the MAP test, Florida’s standardized assessment.
She elevates learning further by employing football as both an educational tool and a means for life lessons.
“Can we compare our journeys? No, because perhaps my team’s struggles differ from yours, much like when students take a test and some succeed while others may not,” Crippen explained.
“Can we truly compare what you’re experiencing to what he’s encountering? No, everyone has their unique journey. We must explore our paths, which is why I love tracking teams.”
EACH LESSON PLAN varies based on events occurring on NFL Sundays. Crippen tunes into “RedZone” and “Sunday Ticket” to track her students’ teams and her Dolphins, ensuring she stays informed for Monday mornings.
Each week, students write reports on their assigned teams, covering scores, kickoff times, weather conditions, point differentials, the quarterback’s passing yards, and the player with the most scrimmage yards.
She explores social media for ideas, then transforms those moments into valuable lessons.
One of Crippen’s students, Nathan, initially a huge soccer fan, wasn’t particularly interested in the NFL until he joined her class. His father, Justo Garcia, mentioned that since Nathan enrolled, he has seen significant improvements in his son’s education and understanding of football.
“Watching ‘RedZone’ with him is exciting because he’ll say, ‘If this team wins, they’ll be first in their division.’ It’s incredible to see how in tune he is with NFL standings,” Garcia told ESPN.
Occasionally, NFL personnel are so impacted by the lessons that they reach out to facilitate their own.
Crippen crafted a lesson based on the Philadelphia Eagles’ Week 1 clash with the Dallas Cowboys, emphasizing information gathering, referencing Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter’s ejection for spitting on quarterback Dak Prescott —later discovered to be reciprocal. NFL official Bryan Neale, who flagged the play, engaged with Crippen’s class in Week 5, explaining the incident and discussing the crucial role of officials.
During the last season, Eagles receiver A.J. Brown gained notoriety for reading a book on the sidelines during a narrow victory against the Green Bay Packers. In the subsequent class, Crippen explained what Brown was reading and why, stressing the significance of reading.
Martinez noted that Brown personally reached out to Crippen to express gratitude for her dedication to enlightening her students.
The NFL, closely monitoring Crippen’s initiatives, shared that she has sparked their interest in further engaging with her and enabling connections with all 32 teams.
In April, the NFL invited Crippen to its annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida, to showcase how her lesson plans have influenced her students and cultivated relationships with team owners, general managers, and presidents.
“It’s wonderful to witness the educational impact she’s fostering through football,” Trombetta noted.
THE OFFSEASON COMES as standardized testing intensifies. While students highlight their NFeLementary lessons during assessments, Crippen noted that the offseason allows for more creativity and enjoyment within the curriculum. Students engage in activities mimicking the NFL combine, running 40-yard dashes and shuttle runs to compare their times with the players on their favorite teams.
They also assume the roles of mock general managers, taking part in projects like the NFL Players Association report card, where they evaluate teams and write mini-bios for players drafted in the first round.
Though Crippen primarily focuses on her class, the influence of NFeLementary is far-reaching. She created a private Facebook group with 286 other educators using her lesson plan to share feedback, resources, and celebrate the program’s successes in classrooms.
Students as old as middle schoolers, from as far as California, have reached out to express interest in the program.
“It’s so exciting because that’s the essence of this program,” she said. “It breathes life into learning and creates excitement, making lessons resonate and come alive.”
While Crippen’s course work centers around the NFL, she remains open to lessons from other leagues such as the NBA, MLB, and NHL. Her priority is unwavering: to design the curriculum reflecting her students’ long-term success.
“It’s about the kids, being there for them, and bringing the excitement of learning to life while keeping the mission at the forefront,” Crippen affirmed. “The core aim is to serve the kids and enhance their learning experience.”
