Fisher joins NFL competition committee
NEW YORK (AP) Jeff Fisher is back in the NFL as a coach, and back on the prestigious NFL competition committee.
Fisher was hired last month by the St. Louis Rams after sitting out the 2011 season. While coaching the Tennessee Titans, he was co-chairman from 2002-2010 of the committee that reviews rules and makes recommendations on changes.
Also joining the committee are Arizona Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt and Green Bay Packers President Mark Murphy. All are former players in the league.
"It's an honor, obviously," Whisenhunt said. "The integrity of play in the NFL as well as the quality of play is always extremely important to us, to fans, coaches and players. One of the main priorities of the committee is to see that stays at a high level. I am flattered. It's a privilege and certainly comes with a great deal of responsibility."
Whisenhunt also serves on the coaches subcommittee, which makes recommendations to the competition committee.
Atlanta Falcons President Rich McKay chairs the competition committee, which also includes Giants owner John Mara, Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome, Cowboys CEO Stephen Jones, Texans GM Rick Smith, and Bengals coach Marvin Lewis.
"I was excited and honored," Murphy said of being added to the committee. "It will be a new experience for me, and I am looking forward to representing the Packers in this capacity on a league level."
Murphy also played an active role in labor negotiations with the union last year during the lockout.
The committee consists of club personnel only, but other key NFL personnel serve as liaisons, including executive vice president of football operations Ray Anderson.
Falcons general manager Thomas Dimitroff has been appointed to the general managers' advisory committee, and Danny Morrison of the Carolina Panthers has become chairman of the subcommittee on college relations.
Also on the GM's committee are Pittsburgh's Kevin Colbert, Arizona's Rod Graves, Cleveland's Tom Heckert, Carolina's Marty Hurney, New Orelans' Mickey Loomis, Detroit's Martin Mayhew, Kansas City's Scott Pioli, Jacksonville's Gene Smith, Jerry Reese of the Giants and Mike Tannenbaum of the Jets.