NCS Bergen County Presents Dave Szott

Dave Szott spent 35 years in the National Football League, beginning in 1990 with the Kansas City Chiefs and ending with the NY Jets in 2025. A graduate of Penn State, Szott started 171-of-177 games over 14 seasons with Kansas City (1990-2000), Washington (2001) and the Jets (2002-03), earning consensus All-Pro and All-Madden recognition in1997 and received the Ed Block Coverage Award twice, once with Kansas City and again with the Jets. Following his retirement as a player, Dave spent the following 17 years as the assistant offensive line coach (2004-05), team chaplain (2006-07) and his most current as director, player development. As director, player development, Szott oversaw a number of NFL programs, including Players Assistance, Continuing Education, Financial Education and Career Development. Working with Bryce Bevill, the player development department also looks to set up every Jets player up for success before, during and after the player’s football career, providing resources to grow, both personally and professionally throughout their player experience, along with transition training for NFL rookies. Dave’s accolades continued after his playing career was over.  Szott was a key figure in the smooth transition and relocation of the entire Jets organization to the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Summer 2008.  He was awarded the Player Development Award in the area of Player Assistance that year - the first rookie player development director to be so honored. Szott was also awarded the 2009 Player Assistance Award. In addition, Dave was given the 2014 Most Valuable Player Award by the Executive Board of the Phil Simms New Jersey All-Star Football Classic, which is given to NFL players that had great careers and continue to promote football at the youth, high school, college and professional levels. Outside of his career Dave is active in helping those with special needs.  While in Kansas City, Szott and his wife, Andrea, started Szott for Tots, a foundation who’s mission is to bring awareness to the special needs community. Szott is on the Board of Directors for the Matheny Medical and Educational Center, a school and medical center for special needs children and adults located in Peapack, NJ.  Andrea Szott, Dave’s wife, now serves on the Matheny Development Committee, as well as the Matheny Parent Advisory Committee. Szott also serves as special advisor and coach of the Morristown Wildcats Football Club, where he is consulted on coach and player code of conduct guidelines.  He also helped establish a playbook, practice plans and coaching clinics for the football club coaches. Within the past year, Dave and his partner founded an organization entitled Alpha International Outfitters.  He and his partner host hunters and non-hunters in Spain, providing “once in a life-time” experiences, either hunting big game and/or touring traditional sites and cities. Originally a native of Clifton, NJ, Szott and Andrea, along with their sons, Shane and Joshua, reside in Morristown, NJ.