Tony Wyllie

Last updated
Tony Wyllie
Born
Hubert Anthony Wyllie

(1967-12-31) December 31, 1967 (age 56)
Brooklyn, New York
Nationality American
Alma mater Texas Southern University and Rice University
OccupationNFL Executive
Years active1991 to present
Employer Washington Redskins
TitleSenior Vice President of Communications
Awards5x Pete Rozelle Award winner
Website Tony Wyllie Official Site

Tony Wyllie (born December 31, 1967) is the CEO of The Collective Engine. Prior to this position he was regional president and managing director for Special Olympics North America. [1] [2] He has previously worked as senior vice president of communications for the Washington Redskins of the National Football League, as well as an executive for the St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans. He is a five-time recipient of the Pro Football Writers of America Pete Rozelle Award for public relations, and the only executive to receive it for their work on three different teams. [3]

Contents

Early life and education

Wyllie was born in Brooklyn, New York and moved to Houston as a child. [4] He attended Cy-Fair High School just outside Houston. [5] Wyllie graduated from Texas Southern University with a degree in journalism, and later earned his MBA from Rice University. [6]

Career

Early career

While attending Texas Southern University, Wyllie became a game-day intern for the Houston Oilers in 1991. [4] Wyllie's job included public relations tasks, including interacting with the sports journalists in the Houston Oilers press box. [7] In 1992, he became a public relations intern with the San Diego Chargers. [4] [8] In 1993, he then became a public relations intern for the Dallas Cowboys, where he received a Super Bowl ring after the Cowboys' victory in Super Bowl XXVIII. [9] In addition to his work with the NFL, Wyllie was also an intern for the Houston Astros from 1991 to 1992, and was a contributor to the Associated Press, Houston Chronicle , and Houston Post between 1990 and 1992. [10]

Los Angeles and St. Louis Rams

In 1994 Wyllie replaced David Pearson as the assistant director of public relations for the Los Angeles Rams. [8] [11] He remained with the Rams when the team moved to St. Louis in 1995, becoming the St. Louis Rams. [4] Wyllie was the spokesperson for the Rams during the transition between cities, handling press requests and providing media responses regarding the logistics of the move from Los Angeles to St. Louis. [12] During his tenure with the Rams the team underperformed, so Wyllie's job required him to deal with the negative press surrounding the team's losing record and to promote positive news stories for the struggling franchise. [13] In 1997 Wyllie was awarded the Pete Rozelle award for the top public relations team in the NFL by the Pro Football Writers of America. During his tenure with the Rams he was also chosen by the NFL to work on the public relations for the 1996 and 1997 NFC Championship games. [14] Wyllie stayed with the Rams until 1998.

Tennessee Oilers and Titans

In 1998 Wyllie became the youngest public relations director in the NFL when he was selected by the Tennessee Oilers as their PR director. He was awarded his second Pete Rozelle award for his work with the team in 2000, after the team had been renamed the Titans. He was also selected by the NFL as the public relations person for the 1999 Pro Bowl. Wyllie stayed with the Titans until 2000, and during his tenure the Titans went to the Super Bowl only to lose to his previous team, the Rams. [14] [15] [16] [17]

Houston Texans

In 2000 Wyllie left the Titans to become the Vice President of Communications for the Houston Texans during the team's first year of operations. The team would not debut until 2002, so for the first two years Wyllie worked on projects such as revealing the Texans' logo and other organization building activities. [18] During the team's first draft week owner Bob McNair stated that, "This is an opportunity for me to promote the Texans and the city of Houston. It seems [VP/Communications] Tony Wyllie has lined me up for interviews with just about every media outlet in [New York] ... I knew there'd be a lot of interest in the Texans, but I didn't anticipate there'd be this much." [19]

During his tenure with the Texans he was awarded the Pete Rozelle award three more times in 2004, 2007 and 2010, making him the only executive in NFL history to be awarded the prize for his work on three different teams. During this time Wyllie also worked as an adjunct professor at Texas Southern University. [14] In 2010 Wyllie was awarded the Spirit Award from the Houston Association of Black Journalists. [20]

Washington Redskins

In May 2010 Wyllie became a Senior Vice President with the Washington Redskins, in charge of the communications department. [5] [21] One of the more controversial decisions Wyllie advised Redskins owner Daniel Snyder on was Snyder's libel lawsuit against the Washington City Paper . [22] NBC Sports quoted Wyllie as saying that the move was not done as a part of Wyllie's attempts to manage the team's image, but rather in order to demand better accuracy and responsibility by journalists critical of Snyder. [23] Wyllie's tenure with the team has been marked by his encouragement of Snyder to increase his public and community profile, and to help improve the team's image with its fan base. [24] His job has also involved working directly with each team's upcoming stars on their early career image and injuries, such as Robert Griffin III, as well as with their veteran players. [25] ESPN sports analyst Stephen A. Smith described Wyllie as "one of the best in the business" in terms of public relations executives in the NFL. [26] In 2014 game against the Dallas Cowboys, Wyllie prevented ESPN reporter John Sutcliffe from interviewing the Redskins' quarterback Colt McCoy after Sutcliffe attempted to interview McCoy without prior arrangement. After the event, ESPN did not complain of the outcome, and the NBC stated that Sutcliffe has provoked the situation. [27] Upon his departure in 2019, he was the team’s longest tenured public relations person. [28] Work in the NFL after this included in 2020, Wyllie inducted Isaac Bruce into the NFL Hall of Fame. [29]

Super Bowls

Over his career Wyllie has been on the public relations team for the NFL for eight different Super Bowls. [3] For example, during Super Bowl XL Wyllie helped players from the competing teams with arranging and executing national interviews. [30]

Special Olympics North America

In 2019, Wyllie left the Washington Team on his own accord to become the regional president and managing director of the Special Olympics North America. The owner of the Redskins Dan Snyder said of his departure that “I’m very proud of this tremendous accomplishment … Tony will always be a member of the Redskins family.” [31] Wyllie is also the founder and CEO of The Collective Engine. [32]

Boards

Wyllie has served on the boards of the Ensemble Theatre in Houston, the March of Dimes, the Management Leadership for Tomorrow-Houston, the John P. McGovern Museum of Health & Medical Science, the Houston Texans YMCA and the Touchdown Club of Houston. [14] He also is on the County Christian School board in Ashburn, VA.

Personal life

Wyllie is a member of the Kappa Alpha Psi and Sigma Pi Phi Fraternities. [33] He is married to his wife Natasha, with whom he has two children, James Anthony and Toni Simone. [34] Texans owner Bob McNair named a race horse after Wyllie, calling the horse "Tony Terrific". [35] He is currently also a professor at the Georgetown University Sports Industry Management faculty. In 2004 Wyllie was awarded Texas Southern University Distinguished Alumni Award. [36] In 2007 Wyllie then received an MBA from Rice University, being sent to the school by Texans owner Bob McNair. [14] Wyllie delivered the Winter Commencement speech to the class of 2013 at his alma mater Texas Southern University on December 13, 2013, [37] and received the Outstanding Alumni Award from that school in 2017. [38] That year he was also inducted into the National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame. [39] [6] In 2020 it was announced that Wyllie was selected by Isaac Bruce to be his presenter into the Football Hall of Fame Wyllie will be the second PR Executive to serve as a Hall of Fame presenter since Gary Wright from the Seahawks in 1995. [40]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Washington Commanders</span> American football team based in the Washington, DC, area

The Washington Commanders are a professional American football team based in the Washington metropolitan area. The Commanders compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member of the National Football Conference (NFC) East division. The team plays its home games at FedExField in Landover, Maryland; its headquarters and training facility are in Ashburn, Virginia. The team has played more than 1,000 games and is one of only five in the NFL with more than 600 total wins. Washington was among the first NFL franchises with a fight song: "Hail to the Commanders", played by their marching band after every touchdown scored by the team at home. The franchise is owned by a group headed by Josh Harris, who acquired the team from Daniel Snyder for $6.05 billion in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pete Rozelle</span> American football executive (1926–1996)

Alvin Ray "Pete" Rozelle was an American businessman and executive. Rozelle served as the commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) for nearly thirty years, from January 1960 until his retirement in November 1989. He became the youngest commissioner in NFL history at just the age of 33. He is credited with making the NFL into one of the most successful sports leagues in the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Daniel Snyder</span> American businessman (born 1964)

Daniel Marc Snyder is an American businessman who formerly owned the Washington Commanders, an American football franchise belonging to the National Football League (NFL). He bought the team, then known as the Redskins, from the estate of Jack Kent Cooke in 1999. Snyder is widely considered to be one of the worst owners in the history of professional sports, with the team managing only two playoffs wins in six appearances as well as fostering a toxic workplace culture, committing financial improprieties, and allegations of sexual misconduct.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gregg Williams</span> American football coach (born 1958)

Gregg Williams is an American football coach who is currently the defensive coordinator for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He recently served as the defensive coordinator for the New York Jets of the National Football League (NFL) from 2019 to 2020. Previously, he was head coach of the Buffalo Bills from 2001 to 2003, and defensive coordinator of the New Orleans Saints from 2009 to 2011, and the Cleveland Browns, acting as an interim head coach in the 2018 season. Williams is known for running aggressive, attacking 4–3 schemes that put heavy pressure on opposing quarterbacks and for his key role in the New Orleans Saints bounty scandal, also known as "Bountygate".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mr. Irrelevant</span> Humorous honor given to the last player selected in the NFL draft

Mr. Irrelevant is the nickname given to the person who is drafted with the very last overall pick in the NFL Draft, as a disreputable reference to how the public and teams evaluate their skill level. Most players drafted with the very last draft pick do not go on to complete storied or notable careers. Often times a player chosen with this pick is released from the team that drafted them before preseason or training camps begin. Some notable exceptions include Tyrone McGriff, Ryan Succop, and Brock Purdy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dave Ragone</span> American football player and coach (born 1979)

David Patrick Ragone is an American football coach and former player who most recently served as the offensive coordinator for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He previously served as an assistant coach for the Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins and Tennessee Titans.

Anthony Lamar Banks is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Selected by the St. Louis Rams in the second round of the 1996 NFL Draft, he also was a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Redskins, and Houston Texans. With the Ravens, Banks was part of the team that won the franchise's first Super Bowl title in Super Bowl XXXV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Turk</span> American football player (born 1968)

Matthew Edward Turk is an American former professional football player who was a punter in the National Football League (NFL). He was originally signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 1993. He played college football at the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater. A three-time Pro Bowl selection, Turk has also been a member of the Los Angeles Rams, Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, St. Louis Rams, Jacksonville Jaguars and Houston Texans. He is the 2nd tallest punter in NFL history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Charley Casserly</span> American football executive

Charley Casserly is an American football analyst and former executive. Casserly was the general manager of the National Football League (NFL)'s Washington Redskins and Houston Texans, being a part of three Super Bowl wins as a member of Washington. He currently works for the NFL; he formerly worked for NFL Network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Carriker</span> American football player (born 1984)

Adam Eugene Carriker is a former American football defensive end. He was drafted by the St. Louis Rams in the first round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at the University of Nebraska. He also played for the Washington Redskins.

The history of the Houston Texans began in 2002, bringing the National Football League back to Houston, Texas after the city's previous franchise, the Houston Oilers, relocated to Nashville, Tennessee to eventually become the Tennessee Titans. The Texans are the newest franchise in the NFL. Despite some growing pains in the first nine years of their existence, the Texans became a more dominant team in the NFL's AFC South division in the 2010s, though they have yet to appear in a Super Bowl.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Bradford</span> American football player (born 1987)

Samuel Jacob Bradford is an American former football quarterback who played for nine seasons in the National Football League (NFL), most notably with the St. Louis Rams and the Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the Philadelphia Eagles and the Arizona Cardinals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Case Keenum</span> American football player (born 1988)

Casey Austin "Case" Keenum is an American football quarterback for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Houston Cougars, where he became the NCAA's all-time leader in total passing yards, touchdowns, and completions. In the 2008 college football season, Keenum ranked first nationally in total offense and second in total passing yards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Orakpo</span> American football player (born 1986)

Brian Ndubisi Orakpo is an American former professional football player who was a linebacker for 10 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, was recognized as a unanimous All-American, and was drafted by the Washington Redskins with the thirteenth overall pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. He also played for Tennessee Titans, and was selected to four Pro Bowls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Griffin III</span> American football player (born 1990)

Robert Lee Griffin III, nicknamed RGIII or RG3, is an American former football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for eight seasons, most notably with the Washington Redskins. He played college football for the Baylor Bears, winning the Heisman Trophy as a senior, and was selected second overall by the Redskins in the 2012 NFL Draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jerrell Powe</span> American football player (born 1987)

Jerrell Quartez Powe is a former American football nose tackle. He was drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs in the sixth round of the 2011 NFL Draft. He played college football for Ole Miss.

The National Football League (NFL) is the premier professional American football league in the United States, and is also one of the major North American professional sports leagues. Controversies in the NFL include subjects such as questionable championship rulings, team relocation decisions, and criminal behavior by players. Many of the recent controversies have surrounded NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, player conduct, and/or the league's role in player safety.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">D. J. Swearinger</span> American football player (born 1991)

Dayarlo Jamal Swearinger Sr. is an American football safety for the DC Defenders of the United Football League (UFL). He played college football at South Carolina and was selected by the Houston Texans in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft. He has also been a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Washington Redskins, Arizona Cardinals, Oakland Raiders, New Orleans Saints, and Indianapolis Colts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Geron Christian</span> American football player (born 1996)

Geron Christian Sr. is an American football offensive tackle for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Louisville and was drafted by the Washington Redskins in the third round of the 2018 NFL Draft. He has also played for the Houston Texans and Kansas City Chiefs.

Wes Phillips is an American football coach and former player who is the offensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League (NFL). He is the son of former Denver Broncos, Buffalo Bills, and Dallas Cowboys head coach Wade Phillips and the grandson of former Houston Oilers and New Orleans Saints head coach Bum Phillips.

References

  1. ↑ "Tony Wyllie - LinkedIn" . Retrieved May 13, 2022.
  2. ↑ Evans, Kelley D. (2019-09-20). "Redskins PR exec Tony Wyllie says it's a 'privilege' to head to Special Olympics". Andscape . Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  3. 1 2 "Redskins utilize Wyllie As Senior Vice President". February 14, 2013. Archived from the original on August 23, 2013. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 "TSU Alumnae, Tony Wyllie Named Senior VP for Washington Redskins" (PDF). May 5, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 26, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  5. 1 2 JOHN McCLAIN (May 4, 2010). "Texans' Wyllie to become Redskins senior VP". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  6. 1 2 Evans, Kelley D. (2017-09-28). "Redskins SVP Tony Wyllie is more than a boss; he paves the way for others". Andscape . Retrieved 2021-04-07.
  7. ↑ "Wyllie accepts job with Redskins". NBC Sports. May 4, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  8. 1 2 "Cuban Water Polo Star Defects to U.S. After Alamo Cup". Los Angeles Times . June 29, 1994. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  9. ↑ Woody Hagan (May 4, 2010). "Redskins Replace Swanson with Texans' Tony Wyllie". Football News Now. Archived from the original on May 15, 2010. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  10. ↑ Yolande Lezine (November 4, 2008). "Living out the Dream". Black Athlete. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Transactions". New York Times . June 29, 1994. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Rams to set up dual draft sites". Fort Scott Tribune. April 22, 1995. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  13. ↑ Greg Garber (January 29, 2000). "The Connection: Wyllie Has Seen It From All Sides". Hartford Courant . Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 "WASHINGTON REDSKINS HIRE TONY WYLLIE AS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT". ESPN. May 4, 2013. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014. Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  15. ↑ Rick Maese (May 4, 2010). "Wyllie will become Redskins' senior vice president". Washington Post . Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  16. ↑ Michael Silver (January 17, 2000). "Miracle Worker". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  17. ↑ "Transactions". New York Times . April 14, 1998.
  18. ↑ "Front Office: Tony Wyllie" . Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  19. ↑ "Owners At The Draft: Bob McNair Uses Top Spot As Platform". Sports Business Daily. April 22, 2002. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  20. ↑ "Nnete talks to HABJ Honoree Houston Texans VP of Communications Tony Wyllie". KBXX. March 26, 2010. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  21. ↑ "Transactions". ESPN. May 4, 2010. Retrieved August 26, 2013.
  22. ↑ Jason Reid (February 9, 2011). "With his lawsuit against Washington City Paper, Daniel Snyder continues to put the Redskins in a negative light". Washington Post . Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  23. ↑ Mike Florio (February 15, 2011). "Redskins defend decision to sue City Paper". NBC Sports . Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  24. ↑ Anthony Brown (October 5, 2010). "MORE REDEMPTION FOR DANIEL SNYDER, THIS TIME ON ESPN". Hogs Heaven. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  25. ↑ Peter King (April 30, 2013). "Yet again, draft provides no shortage of stories to talk about". Sports Illustrated . Retrieved August 22, 2013.
  26. ↑ Dan Steinberg (August 14, 2013). "Sixteen ESPN analysts on RGIII-Shanahan". Washington Post . Retrieved August 19, 2013.
  27. ↑ Mike Florio (October 28, 2014). "Wyllie explains "no means no" moment". NBC. Retrieved December 9, 2014.
  28. ↑ Carpenter, Les (2019-09-19). "Tony Wyllie, Redskins' head of communications, is leaving the organization". Washington Post. ISSN   0190-8286 . Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  29. ↑ "Tony Wyllie presents Isaac Bruce | 2020 Hall of Fame Class". NFL.com. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  30. ↑ Maurice Scott Jr. (August 17, 2006). "Mike, run Maurice's mug shot with his story". The St. Louis American. Retrieved August 25, 2013.
  31. ↑ Evans, Kelley D. (2019-09-20). "Redskins PR exec Tony Wyllie says it's a 'privilege' to head to Special Olympics". Andscape. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  32. ↑ "Top Gun Events & The Collective Engine Partner To Provide NIL Opportunities For Softball Players - Extra Inning Softball". 2023-08-14. Retrieved 2024-02-01.
  33. ↑ "Kappa Frater Tony Wyllie to become Redskins senior VP". May 5, 2010. Retrieved August 21, 2013.
  34. ↑ "Tony Wyllie Becomes Redskins' Senior Vice President" . Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  35. ↑ John McClain (October 29, 2006). "What a great day for football!". Houston Chronicle . Retrieved August 20, 2013.
  36. ↑ "Tsu Seniors: Ready for the Next Step". TSU Alumni Newsletter. December 2007. Retrieved August 15, 2013.
  37. ↑ "TSU Alumnus Tony Wyllie to Address Fall Graduates" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on December 16, 2013. Retrieved December 16, 2013.
  38. ↑ "Texas Southern Raises $800K at Inaugural 'Maroon & Gray Affair' Scholarship Fundraiser". 2017-09-06. Archived from the original on 2017-09-06. Retrieved 2021-03-31.
  39. ↑ Chronicle, Matt Young, Chron com / Houston (2017-07-26). "Former Texans exec Tony Wyllie going into National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2021-03-31.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  40. ↑ Russell, Chris. "Former Redskins Exec to Induct Isaac Bruce". Sports Illustrated Washington Football News, Analysis and More. Retrieved 2021-03-31.

Tony Wyllie

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.