SALT LAKE CITY — Sam Gordon’s staggering football skills made her famous at age 9. But they didn’t make her fully welcome on the field.
As the only girl in a tackle football league in Utah, she heard parents from opposing teams urge their kids to “beat the girl.”
“I had a target on my back, and it was in the shape of a ponytail,” said Gordon, now 17. “It was awesome to prove to them that I’m more than just a girl in pads. I’m actually a football player.”
Viral videos viewed by millions of her playing catapulted Gordon to a place in the country’s most popular sport, including the ESPN awards and Super Bowl commercials.