Alumni Profiles: Alex Brooks – From Newhouse to NFL Public Relations

Interning for the Buffalo Bills, working four Super Bowls, spending over eight years with the Jacksonville Jaguars, and even sometimes at a friend’s wedding, “Syracuse People” are all over according to Alex Brooks.

Photos credit of Alex Brooks

A 2014 graduate of the public relations bachelor’s program, Brooks spent four years at Newhouse, developing the skills necessary to be a successful young professional and establishing connections with peers. 

During his time at Newhouse, Brooks was able to intern for three years with the Syracuse Athletic Communications Department, learning the ins and outs of public relations in the field of sports. Helping with game day interviews, writing pregame and postgame notes, coordinating with broadcast crews and working games in the press box, he gained all the necessary technical skills to become a successful professional in sports. However, Brooks points to the leadership in the department, who guided him when he was just entering the industry.

“Working with Sue Edson and Pete Moore, who are still there, I had the opportunity to work alongside terrific people and great mentors. They really showed me the way. Not just professionally, but personally. How to treat people. How to be successful in the field and how to make a positive impact on others.”

Throughout his time at Syracuse and beyond, Brooks found that “Syracuse People” truly desire to help fellow Syracuse graduates achieve their dreams.

Needing a summer internship in 2013, Brooks reached out Kevin Kearns, a recent Newhouse graduate working with the Buffalo Bills. This connection that the two had established led Brooks to secure an internship with the team, marking the beginning of his career in the NFL.

Brooks meets up with Kearns, a 2012 Newhouse Public Relations Graduate. Kearns was a colleague who had helped Brooks secure his internship with the Bills.

Through his experience with the Bills, establishing connections and gaining more skills in the field of sports public relations, Brooks secured a position to work on the NFL’s Super Bowl XLVII public relations staff. As a senior, he worked on the world’s biggest stage, transcribing interviews, aiding the media with whatever was needed and coordinating with players for postgame media availability.

Just a month after graduation, Brooks continued his career in the NFL, starting as a Public Relations Assistant for the Jaguars. The Newhouse graduate worked his way up through the ranks of the Jaguars Communications Department, spending nearly nine years with the team and becoming the Director of Public Relations in April of 2021.

LIFE IN THE NFL

Through his time with Jacksonville, Brooks found the most rewarding aspect to be the relationships and shared experiences he had with co-workers.

“Working with like-minded people who wanted to become successful young professionals, they become like second family. Working Super Bowls, NFL Drafts and even games in London were cool experiences, especially when you’re doing it with people that you really care about. It’s not just work.”

Brooks meets with industry connection, John Gonoude, who he had worked with for a few years in Jacksonville. The two reconnected at Wembley Stadium in London, where Brooks also studied abroad as a junior at the Syracuse London Center.

And of course, throughout his career with the Jaguars, Brooks remembers running into several “Syracuse People” along the way.

In 2016, Syracuse alum and former Head Football Coach of the Orange Doug Marrone joined Brooks in Jacksonville. Just a year later, another Syracuse alum and former Syracuse coach joined the Jaguars staff, Tom Coughlin. Working alongside those two, Brooks remembers weekly meetings getting sidetracked, becoming conversations about Syracuse.

The Newhouse graduate also remembers reaching out to Mike Tirico or “Mr. Syracuse” as he calls him. With Tirico being set to call one of the Jaguars’ games, Brooks reached out to extend a welcome and to let him know he was available for anything Tirico might need, mentioning he was also a Newhouse graduate. To Brooks surprise, Tirico sent back a long paragraph, letting him know he was excited to work alongside him in Jacksonville and how excited he was to work with a Newhouse graduate.

“I was a 22-year-old with little idea about what I was doing and knowing someone like Mike was in my corner was cool. And he’s been helpful ever since. I’ll go awhile without talking to him and I’ll send a text about a job or something and minutes later it’s “how can I help?”

Through all these experiences, Brooks has realized how special of a place Syracuse University truly is, for a few good reasons. First, working closely with other Newhouse students of all majors made him feel prepared for life after college.

“My role with the Athletic Communications Department as a junior and senior was being the primary contact for the men’s soccer team. With that, I worked with two peers who at the time worked for the Daily Orange, Matt Schneidman and Jesse Dougherty. Matt is now a beat writer for The Athletic, covering the Green Bay Packers, and Jesse is a beat writer for the Washington Post, covering the Washington Nationals.”

Working alongside other majors, especially future members of the media, gave Brooks insight into how they think and operate. But according to Brooks, Syracuse graduates no matter their major are not so different after all.

“There’s no one I met out in the real world that went to Syracuse and didn’t absolutely love it. We share stories and want to talk about it. Everyone’s working towards a common goal and rooting for the same thing.”

CHALLENGES IN SPORTS PR

Throughout Brooks time working in athletic communications and sports public relations, the Newhouse graduate had many valuable experiences. But just with any experience, there are challenges.

Long hours. Weekends. Holidays. Travel. In the world of sports and public relations, professionals always have to be on their toes according to Brooks.

“Overlooking and operating a high-status organization like an NFL team, the media presence can be constant and demanding. A smaller market like Jacksonville may have a smaller media core, but with social media, that doesn’t entirely matter nowadays. Every little thing can be magnified because it’s the NFL and you have to be on your guard at all times.”

The doubled-edge sword that comes with the NFL experience has Brooks feeling as if he’s prepared for any experience in the industry of public relations and communications. Through all of those experiences, Brooks has more to take with him than confidence in his own career. He also has advice for current Newhouse students.


“As a student I was always self-conscious about being annoying or a pest when asking about a resume or advice. All of these people have so many things going on, I don’t want to add to their plate. But you never know how people can help you. You don’t want to hang on to relationships just for that, but you never know how bonds could get you an interview or a position at some point. College is a crazy time. You’re focused on so many things at once. It’s easy to take for granted all the opportunities you have to meet people.”

WHAT’S NEXT FOR BROOKS

After nine years of working in the NFL, Brooks set his sights on new opportunities and new challenges. Now the Director of Communications for Clemson University, the Newhouse graduated transitioned out of sports.


“While I continue to cherish my time and relationships working in sports, it’s nice to have a little change of pace while still being around big-time college athletics at Clemson. My main duties include media relations, promoting the great things that our faculty, staff, alumni and students are doing inside and outside of the classroom. A huge bonus being that I get to see ‘Cuse when they play the Tigers.”

And although Brooks is deep in Orange enemy territory, he still finds the time to make trips back to Syracuse.

“In February 2022, my fiancé and I took a trip to Syracuse so I could show her a place that meant so much to me. The visit included a basketball game, a self-led campus tour and plenty of food at Varsity and Dinosaur BBQ.”

Through all of his unique experiences, Brooks recognizes that he’s just one of the many Newhouse graduates who built a career in sports, with the graduates being more than helpful when called upon. That is exactly why Syracuse and Newhouse are so special to Brooks.

“You just never know what “Syracuse person” is around the next corner.”

‘Cuse Quick Hits