Jordin Sparks said it best: "This is a huge moment. We're going to remember back to the day we were in San Francisco, at the first ever NFL Women's Summit."
Jordin is correct: Thursday was a huge moment.
Take it from me, a girl from Miami, growing up in the 1980s and playing tackle football with the boys because it was the only avenue that existed for me to play the game I loved so much. When I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up, my response was always, "An NFL player."
Many would chuckle and tap my head, as if it was the cutest thing they ever heard.
As if that would ever become a reality for a young girl.
Today we don't have female players, but we do have female coaches, referees, executives and owners. And boy, have we come a long way baby!
Imagine what an amazing experience it was to attend the first ever NFL Women's Summit and hear Commissioner Roger Goodell announce that the league will institute a Rooney Rule for women when it comes to all of the league's executive positions. The measure will require the NFL to interview one female candidate for those roles.
Those were powerful words, and they came just 10 minutes into a Women's Summit that made you want to run through a brick wall by noon.
The NFL is celebrating Super Bowl 50, the game's golden anniversary. But the league is now taking steps to embrace its future, which includes having women hold powerful positions throughout the league.
Goodell also discussed the importance of Play 60 -- the NFL's campaign to encourage children to be active for an hour a day -- for young girls. He talked about investing in flag football for girls and the diversity in management.
The future has never looked more promising for women wanting to be a part of the NFL.
I looked around the room to see who was sharing this "huge moment" with me: Condoleezza Rice, Billie Jean King and Annika Sorenstam, to name a few -- very powerful women in attendance to celebrate women having a larger presence and stronger voice in the NFL.
Rice, who also spoke yesterday, talked about the importance of playing sports as a young child and how that helped her develop into the woman she is today. "When you're passionate about something, you look for and seek excellence. And you will succeed," she said.
She said she was taught that, if you prepare 200 percent, chances are you will never fail. "Trust your preparation and finish," Rice said. And my favorite message from Rice was, "Don't let someone's sexism or racism be your problem."
King said she is thrilled with the possibilities for women following Goodell's commitment to open more doors.
"You gotta have the dream! Think of the legacy you can leave," she said.
Later in the day, golf legend Sorenstam took part in a panel hosted by Christine Brennan, a columnist for USA Today. They discussed a girl's fear to fail, but that failing is part of the game in sports; how you learn to not only win, but also to lose; and how the competitive resilience that leads to success in sports translates to work and business.
Sorenstam shared a story. One day on the driving range, she called her father to pick her up early because it was raining. While driving home, her father noticed other young golfers still on the range hitting balls in the pouring rain. His message to Annika was, "There are no shortcuts to success. If you want to be good, you need to put in the work."
The messages were strong, and anyone who attended Thursday's summit walked away more empowered by the phenomenal women who have paved the way for many more to come. Hopefully, with the NFL's commitment to opening more doors for women, the future will be brighter than we ever imagined.
Day 2 of the NFL Women's Summit is Friday, when Serena Williams and Robin Roberts will participate. It streams live here 8 a.m. to noon PST.
The Summit's hashtag is #InTheHuddle, and what an amazing huddle I was blessed to be a part of.