NFeLementary, the football-based curriculum taking over Mary Crippen's classroom

Mary Crippen, a third grade educator in Florida, built NFeLementary by expanding on a football-based curriculum her mother created decades earlier.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 8:15am

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Mary Crippen, a third grade teacher in Miami, has gained national attention for her innovative NFeLementary curriculum that uses the NFL season and football to help students learn. Crippen's mother, Donna Martinez, first developed the football-based 'Gridiron Geography' program in 1999, and Crippen has built upon it to create engaging lessons that track current NFL storylines and teach core academic subjects. The curriculum has been adopted by hundreds of teachers across North America, and the NFL has taken notice, connecting Crippen with teams and players to further enhance the program.

Why it matters

Crippen's approach highlights how incorporating students' interests, like football, can make learning more engaging and effective. By tying academic lessons to the NFL season and popular storylines, she is able to capture her students' attention and enthusiasm, leading to better retention and performance. The success of NFeLementary also demonstrates the power of teacher innovation and the potential for curriculum to evolve based on student needs and interests.

The details

Crippen's NFeLementary curriculum involves tracking NFL teams, players, and storylines throughout the season and using that as a framework to teach core subjects like math, reading, and writing. For example, students might calculate a player's yards-per-game average or write reports on their favorite team's performance. Crippen also brings in NFL players and officials to speak to her class and provide real-world insights. The curriculum has gained attention from the NFL, which has helped connect Crippen with teams and players to further enhance the program.

  • In 1999, Crippen's mother Donna Martinez first developed the 'Gridiron Geography' program.
  • Martinez taught the football-based curriculum for 38 years before retiring in 2018.
  • Crippen began posting her NFeLementary content on social media in 2023 and now has over 599,000 followers.
  • For the 2023-24 school year, Crippen's class tracked Dolphins wide receiver Tyreek Hill's quest for 2,000 receiving yards.
  • At the start of the 2025-26 school year, Crippen's students tracked quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's attempt to reach 4,000 passing yards.

The players

Mary Crippen

A third grade teacher at Pinecrest Elementary School in Miami who developed the NFeLementary curriculum that uses the NFL season and football to help students learn.

Donna Martinez

Crippen's mother, who first created the 'Gridiron Geography' football-based curriculum in 1999 and taught it for 38 years before retiring.

Bijan Robinson

An Atlanta Falcons running back who invited Crippen to volunteer at his 'Bijan Reads' book fair event.

Terrence Brooks

A former NFL safety who played for the Florida State football team and helped guide Crippen's flag football career in college.

Justo Garcia

The father of one of Crippen's students, Nathan, who has seen an impact on his son's education and football knowledge since joining the NFeLementary class.

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What they’re saying

“I think it's really important for me as a role model for them to make sure that they're getting all the right learning materials, the right learning, just people to help them out so they can really be [better off] when they get older.”

— Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons running back

“So, with her, how she is making sure that her kids are having fun, first and foremost, but enjoying learning and enjoying wanting to be at their best, and even them competing against each other in terms of school, that's how you become smart. That's how you become a great student. So that's why I think that she's such a great teacher.”

— Bijan Robinson, Atlanta Falcons running back

“Handing her that manila folder was like a baton, and I handed her that folder and trusted her and she's taken [it] and created a garden, created a forest.”

— Donna Martinez, Crippen's mother

“It's the water cooler talk on Monday morning. The adults love football -- they love the NFL ... and then all of a sudden you realized, the dads and daughters started connecting.”

— Donna Martinez, Crippen's mother

“It's been terrific to see the education that she's driving through football.”

— Ian Trombetta, NFL senior vice president of social and influence marketing

What’s next

The NFL has invited Crippen to its annual league meeting in Palm Beach, Florida to demonstrate how her lesson plans have impacted her students and built relationships with team owners, general managers and presidents.

The takeaway

Crippen's innovative NFeLementary curriculum shows how incorporating students' interests, like football, can make learning more engaging and effective. By tying academic lessons to the NFL season and popular storylines, she has been able to capture her students' enthusiasm and attention, leading to better retention and performance. The success of NFeLementary also highlights the power of teacher innovation and the potential for curriculum to evolve based on student needs and interests.