Penei Sewell: Same Interview, 3 Years Apart
The 7th Annual Awards
- Best Athlete Storytelling
ABOUT THIS ENTRY
We filmed an interview with Penei Sewell on his first day in the building after being drafted to the Detroit Lions in 2021. That interview remained unused and unseen until 2024 when he became the highest-paid OL after resigning with our team. We sat him down again almost 3 years to the day from the first interview to ask him the same questions and play-back his responses from 2021. The resulting interview was a powerful mix of humor and vulnerability when Penei came face-to-face with his own growth and some advice from his younger self.
How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?
The excellence from this piece came from our athletes willingness to open up and be vulnerable by the end of the piece given the unique and individualized way we packaged the interview. This was one of several attempts we have made at this concept where we’ve held onto content hoping for an eventual opportunity to utilize it in an impactful way. This kind of
Objective
We are always looking for new ways to introduce our players’ personalities to fans that aren’t tied to football. This look-back method allowed Penei to guide the story himself while also creating a comfortable space for him to be vulnerable and introspective about what’s truly important to him. It also never hurts when the player is having fun with the process!
Strategy & Execution
Fans in the modern era of sports are most drawn to athletes they can relate with or that they feel like they know outside of the games they play in. This interview not only allowed fans to get to know Penei, but they were able to witness his growth first-hand since joining the league and also see Penei’s own reactions to realizing these changes for himself.
Organizations
- Detroit Lions
Featured
- Penei Sewell
Credits
Neil Larson
Production Manager
Detroit Lions
Celebrate in NYC
Join us for the 7th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 24, 2025 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.
