Rich McKay
Encyclopedia
Rich McKay is the president, CEO, and former general manager
of the Atlanta Falcons
of the National Football League
. He was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
when they won Super Bowl XXXVII
.
for the Buccaneers when his father was the head coach. While his father was head coach at USC in Los Angeles, McKay played quarterback at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, CA. When John McKay took the Tampa Bay job he moved his family, including son Rich, to Florida where McKay played quarterback his senior year at Jesuit High School of Tampa
the 1976 - 1977 season. McKay earned his bachelor's degree from Princeton University
in 1981 and graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 1984. Prior to entering the NFL, McKay was an attorney with the Tampa law firm of Hill, Ward, and Henderson. McKay and his wife, Terrin, have two sons, Hunter and John.
playoffs and one team that won a Super Bowl title. In 1996, McKay hired Tony Dungy
as head coach, and in 1999 the Bucs played in the NFC Championship Game
.
During his tenure as general manager, McKay drafted
players such as Mike Alstott
, Ronde Barber
, Derrick Brooks
, and Warrick Dunn
. McKay constructed the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
roster that featured seven Pro Bowl
players. Also, the Buccaneers' 41 Pro Bowl selections between 1997 through 2002 were the most in the NFL.
. In January 2008, the Falcons hired Thomas Dimitroff
as general manager, relegating McKay to the position of team president although McKay negotiated Matt Ryan's contract.
McKay's Falcons in 2010-2011 had 9 Pro-Bowlers
, making him one of the more influential executives in the league.
For the past six years, McKay has served on the NFL Management Council Working Group of League executives that helps advise on collective bargaining issues. During the 2011 off-season, McKay played a pivotal role in navigating the difficult waters in helping to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the players that resulted in labor peace for the next ten years.
General manager
General manager is a descriptive term for certain executives in a business operation. It is also a formal title held by some business executives, most commonly in the hospitality industry.-Generic usage:...
of the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
of the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
. He was the general manager of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
when they won Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII
Super Bowl XXXVII was an American football game played on January 26, 2003 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California to decide the National Football League champion following the 2002 regular season...
.
Early years
McKay is the son of the late John McKay, who was the Buccaneers' first head coach. McKay was a ball boyBall Boy
Ball Boy is a comic strip in the UK comic The Beano and also the name of the main character. It first appeared in issue 1735, dated 18 October 1975. It features a five-a-side football team that includes:* Ball Boy - the captain of the team, Ball Boy bears resemblances to The Dandy's Owen Goal...
for the Buccaneers when his father was the head coach. While his father was head coach at USC in Los Angeles, McKay played quarterback at Bishop Amat High School in La Puente, CA. When John McKay took the Tampa Bay job he moved his family, including son Rich, to Florida where McKay played quarterback his senior year at Jesuit High School of Tampa
Jesuit High School of Tampa
Jesuit High School of Tampa, established in 1899, is a private, Catholic, all-male high school located in Tampa, Florida, USA. It operates independently of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Petersburg. The school has been named a Blue Ribbon School of Excellence.Jesuit of Tampa teaches a college...
the 1976 - 1977 season. McKay earned his bachelor's degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1981 and graduated from Stetson University College of Law in 1984. Prior to entering the NFL, McKay was an attorney with the Tampa law firm of Hill, Ward, and Henderson. McKay and his wife, Terrin, have two sons, Hunter and John.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
As general manager for the Buccaneers from 1993 to 2003, McKay directed six teams that reached the NFCNational Football Conference
The National Football Conference is one of the two conferences of the National Football League . This conference and its counterpart, the American Football Conference , currently contain 16 teams each, making up the 32 teams of the NFL.-Current teams:Since 2002, the NFC has comprised 16 teams,...
playoffs and one team that won a Super Bowl title. In 1996, McKay hired Tony Dungy
Tony Dungy
Anthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
as head coach, and in 1999 the Bucs played in the NFC Championship Game
NFC Championship Game
The National Football Conference Championship Game is one of the two semi-final playoff matches of the National Football League, the largest professional American football league in the United States. The game is played on the penultimate Sunday in January and determines the champion of the...
.
During his tenure as general manager, McKay drafted
NFL Draft
The National Football League Draft is an annual event in which the National Football League teams select eligible college football players and it is their most common source of player recruitment. The basic design of the draft is each team is given a position in the drafting order in reverse order...
players such as Mike Alstott
Mike Alstott
Michael Joseph Alstott , nicknamed "A-Train", is a former American football fullback in the National Football League. He spent his entire 12-year career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He played college football at Purdue...
, Ronde Barber
Ronde Barber
Jamael Orondé "Rondé" Barber is an American football cornerback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of the National Football League. He was drafted in the third round of the 1997 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers...
, Derrick Brooks
Derrick Brooks
Derrick Dewan Brooks is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League. He was drafted by the Buccaneers 28th overall in the 1995 NFL Draft. He played college football at Florida State....
, and Warrick Dunn
Warrick Dunn
Warrick De'Mon Dunn is a former American football running back, and current minority owner of the Atlanta Falcons. He was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12th overall in the 1997 NFL Draft, after playing college football at Florida State...
. McKay constructed the 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season
The 2002 Tampa Bay Buccaneers season was their most successful season in franchise history. The season began with the team trying to improve on a 9-7 season and did so with a franchise best 12-4 record. It was Jon Gruden's first season as the Buccaneers head coach...
roster that featured seven Pro Bowl
Pro Bowl
In professional American football, the Pro Bowl is the all-star game of the National Football League . Since the merger with the rival American Football League in 1970, it has been officially called the AFC–NFC Pro Bowl, matching the top players in the American Football Conference against those...
players. Also, the Buccaneers' 41 Pro Bowl selections between 1997 through 2002 were the most in the NFL.
Atlanta Falcons
In December 2003, McKay left the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and was introduced as president and general manager of the Atlanta Falcons. In his first season of directing operations, the Falcons went to the NFC Championship Game against the Philadelphia EaglesPhiladelphia Eagles
The Philadelphia Eagles are a professional American football team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the East Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. In January 2008, the Falcons hired Thomas Dimitroff
Thomas Dimitroff
Thomas George Dimitroff, Jr. is the current general manager for the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. Before joining the Falcons in 2008, Dimitroff was with the New England Patriots for six years...
as general manager, relegating McKay to the position of team president although McKay negotiated Matt Ryan's contract.
McKay's Falcons in 2010-2011 had 9 Pro-Bowlers
NFL committees
McKay is also the Chairman of the NFL Competition CommitteeNFL competition committee
The National Football League Competition Committee is a group of eight members chosen from the ranks of the NFL teams' head coaches and managers to oversee competition and suggest rule changes.As of December 5, 2008, the members were:...
, making him one of the more influential executives in the league.
For the past six years, McKay has served on the NFL Management Council Working Group of League executives that helps advise on collective bargaining issues. During the 2011 off-season, McKay played a pivotal role in navigating the difficult waters in helping to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement with the players that resulted in labor peace for the next ten years.