In his Saturday morning keynote address, Green Bay Packers president and CEO Mark Murphy touched on a variety of topics, but he didn't talk much about his current role with the Packers.

Instead, speaking to USA Football 2018 National Conference at Pro Bowl attendees at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida, Murphy shared his thoughts on the benefits of football, "elite athlete syndrome," what it was like to play for legendary Washington Redskins coaches George Allen and Joe Gibbs, and his belief that athletes shouldn't specialize in a single sport. 

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View Murphy's entire speech here:

 

Highlights from Murphy's talk include: 

• (1:02) On the benefits of football: “There’s no question we do have issues in the game at the NFL level and others. We need to make the right decisions to make the game safer, but I think it’s really a mistake to focus solely on the risks associated with football and to not focus on the tremendous benefits … There’s no better sport for teaching life lessons about things like teamwork, discipline, dedication, resiliency … football is needed in this society. You look at the leaders across our country, CEOs, generals, a high percentage of those have come up through football, and it’s not an accident. It’s because of the leadership skills they developed and learned from people like you.”

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• (5:25) On elite athlete syndrome: “If you’re an elite athlete, you’re given special treatment all through the system. To be quite honest, it’s much worse in other sports than football … basketball, some of the others. All of you are in a position, to me, keeping people grounded, particularly at the high school level and college, keeping them grounded, keeping them focused. At the NFL, the college level, the high school level, competition is the best thing for anybody. Having to compete and know that you have to prove yourself and that you’re not entitled to anything is very, very important.”

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• (6:40) On playing for George Allen: “George is probably the most innovative defense coach of his time. He invented the nickel defense. So for me, as a young defensive player to be able to learn directly from him … his leadership style was he was very enthusiastic.

• (10:40) On playing for Joe Gibbs: “For me to be able to see him come in and set up his program was just invaluable, particularly as it relates to leadership. One of the things that I really took from him, it’s a very sophisticated management principle. Have any of you ever heard of the principle called MWA? It’s Management by Wandering Around, and it sounds kind of corny, but I really do believe in it, and Joe Gibbs would do that. He’d walk to the locker room, he’d sit down, and he’d say, ‘What are the players thinking? What kind of things do you think would work this week?’ And that’s something that I to this day continue to do … When you have a great coach, you can sense it.”

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• (13:25) On athlete specialization: “I think football is probably the most difficult sport to specialize and do year-round. I know there’s 7-on-7 and passing leagues, but I would say to the extent that we can resist the temptation to specialize and do it year-round, I think it’s best for the young men and for everybody.”