At only 23 years old, Madison Plummer is already a historic trailblazer! With her hire, she became the first Black woman to hold a full-time NFL equipment role. Plummer is now the Director of Player Development for the Los Angeles Rams. In the shoe area of the basement storage’s footwear department, she maintains and customizes stock footwear in support of the players and more significantly, the channeling line of the team’s equipment staff.
Plummer’s entry to the game of football began—like that of many young women and men of color—with her father, Bruce Plummer. He pushed her to pursue a coaching role with her male high school football squad. She had grown up forming deep connections with her father because of their mutual interest in football. After all, he had been the best player in the game while attending Mississippi State. Like many young women athletes, Madison assumed her race would be over by the time she graduated high school. After a recruiting trip to Mississippi State prior to her high school graduation, she felt called to pursue an alternate career in sports.
Following that pivotal visit, Plummer earned a summer position at Mississippi State after her freshman year, where she was among a select group of equipment staffers allowed to stay and work. This opportunity gave her an invaluable, hands-on experience and training while giving her a fascinating look into the inner workings of football equipment management.
Plummer went on later to do an NFL fellowship with the Los Angeles Rams. This opportunity eventually catapulted her into a full-time equipment assistant position. She’s the one they see hauling equipment to the practice field. She is in the horse rigging jerseys and sweats, ensuring that all goes well behind the scenes for her team. Her age hasn’t stopped her from having a level of professionalism that has blown away all her coworkers and supervisors.
Rams general manager Les Snead commended Plummer for the positive impact she had on the Rams’ organization, including her unsurpassed productivity and tireless work ethic. “She’s so supremely secure in herself, immerses herself in the work,” said Rams head coach Sean McVay. She can laugh and joke and tease and banter with the dudes. Yet at the end of the day, we are all in this together to be more productive in our own capacity. And that’s the best part – Madison is incredibly productive.
Plummer herself is the first to admit that her role is bigger than herself. “For sure, I will appreciate it and think about it a lot more later on in life,” she reflected. However, she remains focused on her current tasks, stating, “For right now, I’m just really focused on what I’m doing.”
From the very start of her young career, Plummer’s been incredibly impressive. She immerses herself into every facet of her position. She keeps players’ custom shoes in shape and works with UConn’s dynamic equipment staff to answer a variety of everyday challenges.
Her father Bruce highlighted his daughter’s passion for football, stating, “She found her passion in football and poured her heart into it.” This dedication hasn’t been lost on the national league, either. Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations, remarked on how Plummer exemplifies what can happen when opportunities are given and talent is acknowledged.
“It is the most magical job in the world,” Plummer said with palpable exuberance, highlighting her dedication to the league and love for the game.
Leslie Plummer added insight into Madison’s determination: “Getting in the door is one thing. You’re not gonna stay where you are unless you prove yourself.”
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