beautiful mistake - joe burrow

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"Are you ready?" PJ asked Elle. It was Monday at noon and the press was ready in the media room for a press conference called on short notice with Elle Simmons. After Elle's call yesterday, PJ had organized everything immediately, because he liked the idea of Elle talking public about everything.

Elle just nodded, took a deep breath and kneaded her shaking hands. She was nervous as hell, but there was no going back, she wasn't going to put up with it.

Joe, noticing her shaking hands, stepped up to her and took her hands in his. "Hey, you're going to be great, ok? Nothing can go wrong" he tried to reassure her as he ran his thumb over the back of her hand.

"Joe's right, Elle. Nothing can go wrong. You just sit down and tell them what you think" PJ also tried to encourage her. "And if it does get to be too much and you want to break off, you let us know. Nick and Zac are standing by on the side and will get you out of there anytime, ok?" he added.

"We'll get you to safety if it doesn't work out, kiddo" Nick put a hand on her shoulders encouragingly, while Zac nodded beside him in agreement. "Nothing's going to happen to you"

"Ok, I think I'm ready" Elle pressed out. Joe smiled at her. "You're going to be great. I'll see you in your office after, ok? Good luck" he gave her a kiss before stepping aside.

"Let's go" PJ murmured to Elle before opening the door to the press room. Nick ran ahead, Elle followed him along with PJ, Zac bringing up the rear. As soon as they entered the room, the lightning storm started. Elle felt like a criminal in court as she was led by PJ to the podium where she took a seat on the chair in front of the microphone.

PJ gave her an encouraging thumbs up before leaving the podium and standing with Nick and Zac, who were standing by the door, eyeing Elle's every move.

Elle took a deep breath and sought Nick's gaze, who winked encouragingly at her. She smiled back and cleared her throat. Immediately, all eyes in the room were on her and she cleared her throat again so her voice wouldn't fail.

"First, I want to thank you all for coming to the press conference today. I have a few things to clarify, which is why I won't be taking any questions, but just giving my own opinion on a few events that happened last week. I ask that in the articles you write about it, you don't twist my words in my mouth, but report exactly what I actually do say" Elle started and directed her gaze to the wall behind all the reporters. It would look like she was looking at them, even though she wasn't.

"I know that by making a viral video I now have a platform and reach that I don't even want, but there's nothing I can do about that, so I'm going to try to make a difference with this voice that it gives me. I'm going to use my voice to show that women can make it just as far in male industries. That women deserve to work in the NFL without it causing a huge debate right away." Elle took a deep breath.

"In particular, I would like to address in this press conference certain allegations and rumors that have been made live on The Saturday NFL Talk television show. Yes, Mister Mann and Mister Howard, I saw your segment about me and no, what you said about me there was neither funny nor respectful. You can say I don't have a sense of humor and I can't take a joke, but the way you talked about me was just sexist and disgusting" Elle hid her trembling hand under the table and was glad that the nervousness could not be heard in her voice.

"Maybe I have connections through my dad to the club that hired me and that'despite being so young and fresh out of college, but do you really think a team like the Bengals would risk the health of their players if they knew I wasn't qualified to do it? Do you really think they would put me in charge of rebuilding key players like quarterback Joe Burrow just because my dad shared a 15 square feet room with my supervisor over 30 years ago? Do you really think I'm trusted to handle players on a daily basis and document their progress just because the head coach had trained under my dad but wasn't even a regular? You all don't believe that yourselves, do you? Maybe I caught the club's attention through the connections, maybe it got me looked at closely, because as a woman it's not exactly easy to be accepted in this industry at all. But in the end, my excellent grades, my performance on the BOC exam, and the positive feedback from my mandatory internship were the deciding factors in the club's decision to hire me." Elle was really talking herself into a frenzy right now and had to be careful to catch her breath often enough.

"So no, Mister Mann and Mister Howard, I didn't sleep my way up, I honestly earned the job through my performance and may have had a little help in the process to even get noticed. But if you assume that women only get into positions like this by sleeping with the right people, I would advise all women not to apply to your show. Seems like we know what else they'd have to do to get the job" the press people sucked in their breath in surprise, while Nick and Zac at the door couldn't keep the grin off their faces. Those who dish it out against Elle have to take a lot more.

"But unfortunately, yes, you have not stopped saying publicly on TV that you would not reject me if I tried to sleep with you, I can not say anything against that. That is your opinion, even if I find it disrespectful to your wives to announce something like that live, but that is not my problem. It continued with the most disgusting sexualization of me during my work. I know you can't start off with a good reputation when you come to fame in a very revealing Halloween costume, but stating you hoped I wore a comparably revealing nurse costume to work is just unnecessary. I could show up to work naked, it wouldn't make any difference on my performance and certainly wouldn't justify why you would intentionally hurt yourself just to be treated by me" Elle was feeling more and more confident by now and had her hands resting on the table as clenched fists.

"Last I remember you really claimed that I only work here to give the players a message with a happy ending and I serve as a reward for the best player. You may realize yourself that you are not only making me an object here, but theoretically calling me a prostitute and I won't stand for that. I do the same job here, the same tasks as all athletic trainers and you can ask anyone, I do my job very well. It's sad that the female portion of the NFL staff is still so small, but when I look at what you dared to say about me, I understand why. In your eyes we women are only good for two things, sex and looking beautiful and that is just sexist and wrong. I can't deny that I wouldn't be here today if men didn't think that way, because I probably wouldn't have gone as viral in a potato sack as I did in the outfit I wore, but we live in 2021. Women are allowed to wear what they want and no matter what it is that doesn't say anything about their personality or performance on the job" Elle paused.

"I'm not the only woman who works in the NFL and does an outstanding job. I'm just the only one that's really been reported on because I've become known through other ways, but now that I'm here, I want to stand up for all the women in the NFL and introduce you all to the inspiring women who are struggling every day in an industry dominated by sexist men or who have made history in this industry as a woman" Elle took out her notepad that she had prepared especially for this.

"Sarah Thomas, the first female referee in NFL history. Kathryn Smith, the first woman to become a full-time coach in the NFL. Jennifer King, the first black female assistant coach with the Washington football team. Natalia Dorantes, first Latin female assistant coach. Lori Locust and Maral Javadifar, first female coaches to win a Super Bowl with the Buccaneers. Beth Mowins, first woman to call a nationally televised NFL game" Elle named a few names.

"I could name so many more. In all, there are 12 female coaches and 174 positions around the NFL this year that are filled by women. Not to mention, the owners and co-owners of the teams. I can proudly say that we also have a female contingent on the Bengals board with Vice President Katie Blackburn" Elle smiled before looking seriously at the cameras.

"In summary, watch out Mister Mann and Mister Howard, there are more and more, maybe soon you will be replaced by women" she grinned.

"The NFL is changing. The future is female. Get used to it"

With those words she stood up and left the room without turning back to the cameras.

Thank you so much for all the likes and reads! Really appreciate it!!

What do you think of Elles press statement? What do you think will happen next?