CHANGE AGENT

Duane Pohlman, Chief Investigative Reporter

Eric Frisbee, Photographer/Editor
Alexander Brauer, Photographer
The death of Korey Stringer- an all-American at Ohio State and all-Pro with the Minnesota
Vikings - created a call of courage, not only for his widow but for a Cincinnati sports agent.
Stringer died from a heat stroke after practicing in full gear on a sweltering day at camp in
Minnesota.
It was not only tragic, but it was also preventable.
His widow, Kelci Stringer sued the Minnesota Vikings and the NFL, not just for money but
for measures to protect other players from suffering the same fate as her husband.
At the beginning, Kelci was all alone. Then she asked Korey’s sports agent in Cincinnati,
Jimmy Gould, to join her.
There were a dozen reasons (and millions of dollars at stake) to say no. Gould – who had
just started his agency – said yes, calling it “the right thing to do.”
In short order, Jimmy reached out to other owners to join him in a push for reform.
When Roger Goodell became NFL Commissioner, he pushed to settle the case and agreed
to fund a heat stroke institute in Stringer’s name.
Headquartered at the University of Connecticut (UCONN), the Korey Stringer Institute KSI
has been a remarkable research, education and advocacy center for twenty years,
dedicated to protecting players (as well as armed service members and workers) by
preventing heat-related deaths across the country.
KSI was critical in mandating medical staff and trainers at practices, establishing heat
index protocols including installation of ice tubs, and eliminating two-a-day practices,
reforms that are credited with saving lives by stopping heat strokes before they start.
Our story includes a rare, sit-down interview with Commissioner Goodell, Stringer’s
widow, Kelci and son, Kodie and Jimmy, the Cincinnati sports agent who did the “right
thing” and helped change the game for the better.

Link to video: https://youtu.be/CszvTSrod8o