Dream Job: Lead Radiology Technologist for the NFL Dallas Cowboys

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Norm Burgess is entering his 28th season of imaging professional football players. Today he’s Lead Radiology Technologist for the Dallas Cowboy’s home games–a dream opportunity for many rad tech sport fans. Burgess gives us a quick look into game time imaging of professional football players.

 Q: You’ve been a Radiographer for the Dallas Cowboys for some time- what is the best part about this job? 

Norm Burgess

Norm Burgess, lead technologist, on field with the Dallas Cowboys, 2011

A: I’ve been a radiographer for the Dallas Cowboys since 1984, working on game days. I’ve seen so many different coaching styles and team personalities.  I’ve been with them through 8 coaches, starting with Tom Landry.  Each coach brings different approaches and it is so much fun to be right up with all the action!  I’m located on the 30 yard line, Cowboys sideline,  in neutral NFL clothing, waiting for a page. Each game is fabulous, but participating in the 2010 Super Bowl game with the Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers was awesome.  We see a lot of celebrities on the sideline from game to game, and they usually hang out standing by me on the 30 yard line.

Q: Tell us about imaging professional football players and the imaging facilities

A: One of the immediate obvious differences is the size of the patient.  Our table is a heavy-duty table designed to hold 1,000 pounds.  We have to adjust our techniques for the body mass of patients that are much larger and have much more muscle than the average person.

All our patients are STAT.  Myself and another technologist work as a team.  One of us with set up the image parameters, and the other will position the patient.  We have a third person that enters demographic data. The images are used immediately by the team physicians to determine if the player can return to the game and if the player needs additional medical attention.

Q: Working with professional football players has to be interesting, during game days, what is most imaged at the stadium? 

A: We are mainly asked to image extremities, ribs, shoulders, knees, elbows and sometimes cervical spines.  The clinicians are looking for fractures. During some games I’ll be on the sidelines for a full quarter then off to start imaging players, sometime until the entire game is completed.  We usually image 8+ players for each team during a game.  The stadium’s digital x-ray room the same size as an x-ray room in any medical center.  Only this one is only used during games.  The stadium is used for some college games, including the Cotton Bowl, so I’ll participate in those events too.  During the football season we’ll be at all the home Dallas Cowboy games and 4 or so college games.

Q: How imaging changed in the past 27 years? 

A: I became a Registered Technologist with the ARRT in 1967 through a hospital based program in Austin Texas.  When I started with the Cowboys, our imaging was film based.  Now we are all digital.  We image for both teams.  At the end of each game we download images to CD/DVD’s of the visiting team to take back with them. During the game we can transmit the images via our PACS to the visitor locker room for them to review on their workstation.  In my wide variety of radiographer roles throughout my career, the commonality is STAT.  The quicker the image is available, the sooner the player can diagnosed.

What is your dream radiology job? 

COMMENTS

  • reply

    grammy3

    My cuz, never looked better.

    • reply

      Norm Burges, BS RT R

      Thanks my favorite cuz…

      • reply

        Wil

        Hello Norm. My name is Wil and I have been the Lead tech for The St. Louis Rams for the past 12 years. I’m sure you have interesting stories as I do myself. It’s a very interesting job to say the least. I have seen so many players and coaches come and go. It actually gets a little sad to see some of the players and coaches go and then you see them in a different uniform. Well, just wanted to say hello. I’ve never thought about looking up to see what are techs work for professional sports teams.

      • reply

        Wil

        I meant ” OTHER” TECHS…

      • reply

        Iris Wiggs

        Hey Norm this has always been a dream job for me I have been a radiographer for 22 years I would love to work for the NFL can you let me no if something comes up. I am a Redskins fan lol but any NFL team will work.

      • reply

        Lois Carrington

        Hi I’m interested in becoming a radiographer for professional sports players is there information or where should I start?

        • reply

          Kathleen Remis

          Hello, I am not familiar with all the associations but I suggest you start with ASRT. You can find them at ASRT.org. Good luck!

    • reply

      Chelsea

      I am currently a radiographer and my dream is follow a sports team doing what I love most! So jealous!

      • reply

        Norm

        Network yourself!!

        • reply

          Brooke

          This would be my dream job!! I am currently in the Radiography program and graduate in May 2016!

        • reply

          Kayla

          Hi,

          How did you go about getting this job. I graduated in May of 2016 and would love a job like this!

  • reply

    Michaela

    I bet a cross table lateral C-spine is a bear to get C7 on these guys.

    • reply

      Norm Burges, BS RT R

      That is one of the views we struggle with…. Most c spines the player can walk and we do with with the upright bucky stand…. Normally if they are strapped to a stretcher for c spine they go directly to a local Medical Center for CT scan.

      • reply

        Lorin Christianson

        Sometimes, you can get a cleaner, less motiony, better picture of the swimmers view on the table bucky. I work for the army and have some very thick, muscled patients too. As I am a lifelong Cowboys fan and an X-ray Tech, I am super duper jealous. What a dream job!!

    • reply

      norm

      almost impossible….hhahahahaha

  • reply

    Herb

    So you must be one of the guys who took x-rays of me in ’86 and again in ’91. Thanks for your quick and professional work!

    • reply

      Norm Burges, BS RT R

      Herb, I probably did if you had a game in Dallas and we xrayed you ….hahahaha
      thanks for the post…. email me and let me know what you are doing these days..

  • reply

    Priscilla

    Priscilla wants a job with you. She is an RT (R) and awesome!!!! How would she be able to get a job doing what you are doing? Its her dream job too.

    • reply

      norm

      Priscilla.. it is who you know

  • reply

    nicole

    hi, im currently an xray tech and am wondering how you got a job with the nfl?

    • reply

      Norm

      Nicole. It is alot of who you know

  • reply

    Priscilla Longoria

    Im with Nicole…Im also seeking a career with the NFL! How do we get into this DREAM JOB?!

  • reply

    Cody

    My name is Cody and I am a fellow Xray tech. Facinating article and I must say that I’m quite jealous Norm. I have a passion for Cowboys football that is undeniable. I’ll work for free as your apprentice Norm just put in the good word to the big man a.k.a. JJ!

    • reply

      Norm burgess

      It is an awesome opportunity

    • reply

      norm

      Funny Cody….ahaahahhaha yep it seems to be who you know

  • reply

    Dana

    I’m with Nicole and Priscilla!! How do we get this DREAM JOB!!!?

  • reply

    Corinne

    I live in central PA so working for the Cowboys is out of the question for me, although I am a PA cowboys fan…can you give me any tips on how to get my foot in the door to eventually end up with a pro sports team.

  • reply

    Kristy

    No really, how do you get this job ? I’m an x-ray tech & I love football ! This would be an awesome job !

    • reply

      Norm burgess

      It involves a lot of networking and who you know!

  • reply

    @ntoinette

    how do you get a job working in Radiology for NFL

    • reply

      norm

      it is mainly who you know

  • reply

    taylor

    this is awesome!!!! i hope one day i can get a job like this!

  • reply

    Brandon m

    Hello my name is Brandon I’m currently a rad tech and CT tech I was wondering how do you get into a rad tech job with an nfl team and is it true they have cat scanners in some stadiums

  • reply

    AWESOME for Norm. He seems very happy. Great job to have. My dream job will be, to be a Great Entrepreneur. To help others in the field of Radiology. Currently, I am a Radiologic Tech and I really like what i am doing. But, currently I have an App on the App store called Radman lite Please visit it, it is FREE and leave a comment.

    • reply

      norm

      that is a great app for sure…

      • reply

        Thanks Norm. Glad you played the App and had fun with it. I appreciate the comment

  • reply

    Paul

    That’s a pretty sweet gig. I assume they must keep their equipment updated with top of the line gear. Very cool.

  • reply

    Samantha

    Hello! I’m a rad tech student and I’ll be starting my clinicals this fall. My dream job would be to work for a sports team when I get done.!! How did you get this job? and do you have any tips for me?

    • reply

      Norm

      Really it is who you know for those kind of jobs

  • reply

    Debbie Grafe Liesman

    Mr. Burgess,
    I was at a continuing education course this morning and they flashed your name up on the screen. I asked is this possibly the same Norman Burgess that was the director of the radiology school I attended in Victoria? Sure enough! I am currently in San Antonio and with South Texas Radiology Imaging Centers and in the marketing department for the past 20 years. We currently have over 60 radiologist and 22 plus imaging centers. Glad to hear you are well and still doing what you love!

  • reply

    Norm, my name is Josh Thompson RT(R) I have just applied for the opening for the PRN job for the Cowboys!!! This would be my dream job to be able to combine my passion if x-ray and football together as one. I hope i will be able to work along side of you in the near future!!! I found out about the job from a friend of mine that told me that he heard from Justin Bradley about the job. I don’t know if you know him or not?

    • reply

      Norm

      No I do not know him

  • reply

    Leisl

    I’ve wondered for years how someone gets your job? My husband is in the Air Force and has 5 yrs left. This would be the ULTIMATE JOB for him ever, I mean he would fall over if he could work for the cowboys in any capacity! Would you be willing to give advice as to how to get a job doing this? He is Texan through and through born and raised. I always felt he missed his calling -should have been a coach. He answered a different calling serving our great country and no matter where he goes he will live and die the greatest cowboy fan I’ve ever known. We are currently in San Antonio where we’ve been stationed so he can teach phase one in Rad technology. He also has a BA in Business administration an AA in radiology. Any advice would be most sincerely appreciated.
    Respectfully,
    Leisl Brown

    • reply

      Norm

      First, tell him thanks for his service from this old vet! It is really who you know for those jobs!

  • reply

    Alex David

    Radiographers are such a boon for us.

  • reply

    Naeners

    Hello! I’m just wondering how someone goes about getting a job like this for an NFL Team! I think it would be so interesting!

    • reply

      Hello, Norm has been asked this question several times. His response has been “It involves a lot of networking and who you know!” Good luck!

  • reply

    Brandon Scott Giglia

    Hello Norm,

    It is a dream job. And one, that is also my dream job that I hope to get one day. I am currently an X-ray tech working many contract jobs and going to school full time to complete my RT license. I love my job and the radiology field. I strive to learn new things and perfect my techqniques in radiology. I am at the point where it is time for me to start taking that next step to fulfill my dream. I would love to pick your brain and maybe get a little direction to get on the right path. My email is Brandon_Gig22@yahoo.com and would love to get in contact with you. If there is any information you can help me with I would very much appreciate it. Thanks Norm!

    Brandon

  • reply

    Ashley

    Hello, I am an x-ray student and for my end of the year project I am doing “Sports Radiography.” I was just wondering if there is anything you can tell me about being a tech for a team. Maybe some of the differences between sports radiography and general. Any x-rays you could send me would be great. Just any interesting information. Do you travel with the team or do you just do events that happen in the Cowboys stadium? If its not to personal maybe around how much the pay is. Just anything you think would be helpful for my project. There is no much info about in on the internet and I need as much help as I can get.

  • reply

    nick

    Truly an inspiration to myself and many hoping to reach the prestige you have Norm! I am currently waiting to begin my program and was curious if you have assistants or in need? Also, does the nfl use sonography along with x ray? Any tips about the profession would be much appreciated! Nikyeeflo@gmail.com
    Thank you, Nick

  • reply

    kathryn

    hello my name is Kathryn.
    I am a radiologic technology student. And my dream job is to become a radiologic technologists for the cowboys. Are there any pointers or are there certain requirements to get a job like this? I am actually currently doing a research paper on how to become an NFL technologists. So I am trying to gain some knowledge on how to do this.
    Thanks!

  • reply

    Britney M

    To be a Radiographer for a professional sports team is a dream job!! I grew up around and playing sports all my life. How does one even begin to go down this career path!? … After becoming a registered tech

  • reply

    Holly Z

    I have been an RT(R) for 16 years and this has always been my dream job! Any info in how to go about this would be great.

  • reply

    LATOYA

    Hello Norm
    My name is Latoya and im originally from east Texas but im a radiologic technologist working in Arkansas right now…I have always dreamed of being apart of sports medicine for the Dallas Cowboys football team but I guess for now im getting pretty good experience in working at the University I graduated from…I am also apart of the sports medicine team and the head radiology technologists at a university College here in Arkansas. ..I read about you while I was in radiology school and ever since I was offered the position to be apart of the sports medicine team I also stand at the 30 yard football sideline field like you waiting to see if I may have an xray to do…lol…but all in all i just wanted to say that yes your job really is a dream come true and yes you are so right. ..its all about networking and who you really know…so thank you for sharing your dream and your journey with us and any further information that could help anyone of us along the way to make our dream come true as well…may God continue to bless you in all that you do…

  • reply

    Nery

    How much would this pay? Is it regular tech pay or more since you work with the NFL?

    • reply

      Norman Burgess

      It is up to the NFL team to determine if they are going to pay you cash or give you some other type of compensation. Some teams just give season tickets and parking passes for your service.

  • reply

    Jawid

    Hello,
    I am a xray & CT technologist & would love to be a sports raiographer. I dont really know whats the 1st step to take, if anyone knows or can help, please email me. very mich appreciated.
    jawid3050@yahoo.com

    Thanks!

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