Originally recorded in 2020, this conversation from the Home Team Podcast features Joel Nellis with Thomas Hammock, who was then the head coach at Northern Illinois.
Today, Hammock is back in the NFL as the running backs coach for the Seattle Seahawks and has drawn national attention following his appearance on the first episode of the 2026 season of Hard Knocks.
His rise back into the spotlight comes after one of the defining moments of his tenure at NIU. In September 2024, Hammock led the Huskies into South Bend and defeated No. 5 Notre Dame, 16-14. Notre Dame would respond by winning 13 straight games and advancing all the way to the National Championship.
But this conversation goes well beyond wins and losses.
Hammock talks with Nellis about the responsibility coaches carry as husbands, fathers, leaders, and mentors. He explains why coaching decisions have to be family decisions, how he works to create an environment where assistants want to come to work, and why relationships with players have to extend beyond what they can provide on the football field.
He also discusses building a football system capable of handling unexpected looks, avoiding wasted preparation time by “chasing ghosts,” and giving players enough tools to find answers when opponents adjust.
Throughout the conversation, Hammock continually returns to the importance of relationships. He explains why family dinners remained part of the NIU routine regardless of whether the Huskies won or lost and why players and coaches need to know that family is genuinely valued within the program.
In the closing moments, Hammock shares the larger purpose behind his career in coaching: developing men of character, discipline, and accountability and using the profession as an opportunity to change the direction of young people's lives.
In This Episode:
Making coaching career moves as a family
Being fully present with your family when you're home
Creating a staff culture where coaches want to work
Why family dinners continue win, lose, or draw
Building relationships with players beyond football
Avoiding “chasing ghosts” in game planning
Building systems that can handle unexpected adjustments
Keeping players connected and engaged
Developing men of character, discipline, and accountability
The opportunity coaches have to change people's lives
Featured Coach: Thomas HammockHost: Joel NellisOriginally Recorded: 2020
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