EMMETSBURG, Iowa (KCAU) — She won’t call any plays or throw a pass in Sunday’s NFL Championship Game, but Emmetsburg native Molly Higgins is a difference-maker in the success of the Los Angeles Rams.
“This is what you work for. This is an opportunity to reach the highest pinnacle in sports together as a team and it’s what I talk with my team about all the time. It takes all of us to have a winning season,” said Molly Higgins.
Higgins is in her 20th season with the NFL Rams and is Vice President of Community Affairs and Engagement.
“A lot of things have to go the right way in order for us to make it to the Super Bowl, and it happened,” said Higgins.
Higgins knows just how special that is. She also was with the Rams in 2018 when the team lost the big game to the New England Patriots. The 1995 Emmetsburg graduate said her passion for winning and giving dates back to her childhood in Siouxland.
“That’s where my love of sports kind of developed. Sports was always a tremendous passion of mine and giving back to the community. So just this tremendous intersection of my two passions has resulted in a dream job. I got that love of humanity and community from my grandmother who was doing the right things when nobody was looking,” said Higgins.
Of course, plenty of people are watching now.
“A lot of calls a lot of texts. It’s hard to keep up. I’m like who is this? I actually slide my credit card for a lot of tickets to have my family at the game Sunday to hopefully celebrate that victory,” said Higgins.
But regardless, of how the scoreboard reads on Sunday, Higgins said she’s part of a winning organization.
“Cooper Kupp, Andrew Whitworth, Jalin Ramsey to Odell Beckham Jr. who I had out in the community last week to Arron Donald, we just have an amazing locker room of guys who understand the platform they have and want to utilize that to the fullest to impact lives. I pinch myself that this is what I get to do for a living,” said Higgins.
With a win, The Rams become the second straight team to win a Super Bowl in their home stadium. Tampa Bay beat Kansas City at home a year ago.
Higgins said staying home has had its perks.
“Being able to stay at home sleep in their own beds go to the same practice facility and not have to go to another facility really keeps guys in a rhythm. A higher degree of magnitude with this game but we are trying to keep it as normal as possible and I think coach McVay and the football side really appreciate that,” said Higgins.
And while the players enjoy home cooking, Higgins gets the chance to be a fan on Sunday.
“Fortunately, because the NFL produces the game, I think I’m going to be able to be a fan and sit in the seats and enjoy it. I’m looking forward to just sitting with family and enjoying the game,” said Higgins.
A Sunday in SoFi Stadium is a long ways from Duane Twait Field in Emmetsburg.
“A lot of amazing memories. Super proud to be an E’Hawk. Pretty cool too that there is such a strong football tradition in Emmetsburg too. Ya know maybe I’ll be the first E’Hawk to deliver a world championship to Emmetsburg. Hopefully, we can do that, I know we can. We have the team capable of doing that it’s just a matter of if everybody is hitting on the right cylinders on Sunday. But if so, I look forward to hoisting that Lombardi Trophy and having a great postgame celebration,” said Higgins.