What Businesses Can Learn from Sports: It’s About Alignment
If you questioned whether the New England Patriots are legit this season, their win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers should’ve put that debate to rest. They’ve got my money to go all the way, but even if you’re not a believer yet, nobody can deny what they’ve built, especially considering where they’ve been the last few seasons.
And while it’s easy to credit Drake Maye’s emergence, Mike Vrabel’s coaching, or Josh McDaniels’ play-calling, the real story is simpler: this team is aligned. They’re not just talented. They’re playing for the same goal, making decisions that prioritize winning over individual stats.
One play against Tampa Bay showed me everything I needed to know about what real alignment looks like, and why it matters just as much in business as it does on the field.
The Play That Says Everything
Patriots up 21-16. 1:43 left in the 4th quarter. 2nd and 9.
Running back TreVeyon Henderson breaks through the Bucs’ defense for a 69-yard run, a clear path to the end zone. But instead of taking the easy touchdown, he glances over at the sideline, essentially asking: “Should I score, or should I go down?”
That moment isn’t just good football IQ. It’s a masterclass in what businesses can learn from sports: alignment, strategic restraint, and playing for the right outcome.
Tony Romo, calling the game, said it perfectly: “I have never seen this before.”
And he’s right. You don’t see that. Most players are scoring that touchdown without thinking twice. But Henderson wasn’t thinking about his stats. He was thinking about winning.
If he scores, he puts more points on the board, but he also gives Tampa Bay the ball back with over a minute left. If he goes down after securing the first down, the Patriots can run out the clock and guarantee the win.
Coaches said he could score, but the fact that he even asked shows everything. Most players wouldn’t have thought twice. But Henderson was willing to give up a highlight-reel touchdown if that’s what the team needed.
That’s alignment in action. That’s understanding the actual goal and being willing to sacrifice personal glory for team success.
What This Has to Do With Your Business
This is what businesses can learn from sports, sometimes the best move isn’t the flashiest one. It’s the disciplined choice that serves the bigger goal.
Here’s the thing: most sales and marketing teams aren’t aligned like that.
Marketing wants to generate as many leads as possible. More MQLs, more demos booked, more touchdowns on the board.
Sales wants deals that close, customers that stick, revenue that’s predictable — not a parade of unqualified leads that waste time and give competitors a chance to swoop in.
When these teams aren’t aligned, you get the business equivalent of Henderson scoring that touchdown: short-term wins that hurt you long-term. You get:
- High lead volume, low conversion rates
- Demos with people who were never a fit
- Churn that kills your growth before it compounds
- Finger-pointing between teams when things don’t work
But when sales and marketing are aligned, when they’re both working toward the same definition of winning — everything changes.
Marketing isn’t just chasing volume. They’re generating the right leads at the right time.
Sales isn’t just closing deals. They’re protecting revenue, retaining customers, and building long-term value.
And leadership isn’t choosing sides. They’re coordinating both to move in the same direction.
The Missing Piece: Systems as Your Special Teams
Here’s where the analogy gets even better.
In that same game, Stefon Diggs wasn’t just playing offense. He was on special teams too, recovering a crucial onside kick that helped seal the win. Special teams isn’t offense or defense. It’s the transition. The coordination point. The thing that keeps momentum or flips field position when it matters most.
In business, that’s your systems. Your CRM. Your RevOps infrastructure. The connective tissue between sales and marketing that makes sure nothing falls through the cracks.
Without it, you’ve got two teams working independently, hoping things line up. With it, you’ve got a unified operation where:
- Marketing knows which leads sales actually wants
- Sales knows what messaging is resonating and why
- Data flows between both so decisions are informed, not guessed
- Follow-ups happen on time, every time
- Opportunities don’t get dropped in the handoff
Special teams doesn’t get the glory, but without them, you lose games you should’ve won. Same with your systems.
What Alignment Actually Looks Like
The Patriots didn’t just get lucky with that TreVeyon Henderson play. They built a culture where:
- Everyone knows the goal (winning, not individual stats)
- Players trust the system enough to make the right call in the moment
- Coaching creates clarity, not confusion
- Every unit… offense, defense, special teams… understands how they contribute to the bigger picture
Your business needs the same thing:
- A shared definition of success (not just “more leads” or “more deals”)
- Systems that support collaboration, not silos
- Leadership that coordinates strategy across both teams
- Metrics that actually measure what matters (quality, retention, LTV, not just volume)
When that’s in place, you don’t just work hard. You work smart. You win games you’re supposed to win. You grow sustainably, not chaotically.
Let’s Build That Alignment
The Patriots aren’t just a great football team. They’re a case study in what businesses can learn from sports: clarity, cohesion, and systems that connect every part of the operation.
At MarketingAndSalesHelp.com, I help founders, SaaS startups, and small businesses build that same alignment. Sometimes that means a custom CRM. Sometimes it’s RevOps systems that connect lead gen to close rates. Sometimes it’s just getting everyone aligned on what “winning” actually means.
If you’re tired of watching opportunities slip away because your teams aren’t aligned, let’s talk. See how we can work together or book a call.