Rich McKay

Biography

The entire Atlanta Falcons organization will benefit immensely from the experienced leadership of Rich McKay this season as he embarks on a new role as team President in 2008. McKay previously served for four years in a dual role as President and General Manager.

One of the many proud moments during McKay’s brief but successful tenure in Atlanta has included helping the Falcons lay claim to an NFC South Division title in 2004 - only the club’s third Division crown in 42 years - and a NFC Championship Game appearance for only the second time in team history.

During his short time in Atlanta, McKay has enjoyed some powerful results and has been at the center of transforming the Falcons operation into one of the most innovative and progressive organizations in all of professional sports.

Some of McKay’s new responsibilities in 2008 will entail overseeing all of the Falcons front office business, including Marketing, Finance, Ticket Sales, and Football Communications, among others. He will also continue to be the liaison with the League in all football and business-related matters. McKay’s esteemed football background will also serve the Falcons well as he continues to be an instrumental member of the  NFL’s prestigious Competition Committee as a Co-Chairman.

During his nine-year run as chief architect of Tampa Bay's football operations, McKay constructed Buccaneer teams that won better than 60 percent of their games. He recorded his 100th career regular season victory in 2005 as a General Manger when the Falcons defeated the Detroit Lions 27-7 on Thanksgiving Day before a nationally televised audience at Ford Field.

To further place into perspective the success McKay has witnessed, one only needs to review the 10-year run the Buccaneers had before McKay took over as General Manager. From 1985 to 1994, Tampa Bay compiled a record of 43-116, a paltry .270 winning percentage, including 10 consecutive double-digit losing seasons.

The apex of McKay's distinguished NFL career took place in sunny San Diego, California on January 26, 2003 when he completed the overhaul of the Buccaneers - long considered one of the worst franchises in professional sports. Tampa Bay's 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XXXVII vaulted the Buccaneers from the basement of professional sports to the top of the NFL universe thanks to McKay’s handiwork. 

In his first season with the Falcons, Atlanta posted 11 regular season wins in 2004, which marked only the fourth time in franchise history that an Atlanta team had recorded double-digit victory totals.

The 2004 Falcons rolled to a 4-0 start and finished the season as NFC South Division champions. Additionally, Atlanta earned the conference's second seed in the playoffs, a first-round bye, and a nationally televised home game against the St. Louis Rams and their high-octane offense. The Falcons used the fourth-highest team rushing total in NFL postseason history and a staunch defensive effort to defeat the Rams 47-17 to advance to only their second NFC Championship Game in franchise history. Atlanta rushed for a postseason franchise-record 327 yards and sacked Rams QB Marc Bulger four times en route to pitching a second-half defensive shutout.

In his 14 seasons as an NFL General Manager, McKay directed six teams that reached the NFC playoffs, three that reached the NFC Championship Game, one team that won a Super Bowl title, and has worked with three different NFL Head Coaches (Tony Dungy 1999; Jon Gruden 2002; and Jim Mora 2004) in the NFC Championship Game. His overall record was 112-96 with a playoff record of 6-5.

McKay's formula for success has been a championship elixir that has produced an impeccable reputation and a total of 56 players who have gone on to play in the Pro Bowl.

Between the draft and free agency, McKay constructed a roster that featured 12 Pro Bowl performers in 2002 with the Bucs. In addition, Tampa Bay's 41 Pro Bowl selections between 1997 through 2002 were the most in the NFL. To put it into perspective, the Buccaneers had only 19 Pro Bowl selections in the first 21 years of their history leading up to 1997.

While many of the players McKay drafted have developed into NFL stars on the field, several have also been Pro Bowl performers from a charitable standpoint, as well. Warrick Dunn was the recipient of the 2004 Walter Payton/NFL Man of the Year award which is presented annually to the NFL's most philanthropic player as was Derrick Brooks, who was a co-recipient of the award in 2000. Dunn also received the 2005 "Good Guy" award from The Sporting News. Brooks and former Buccaneer and current Denver Broncos safety John Lynch are also past winners of the prestigious Byron "Whizzer" White Award for their dedication to serve their team, community and country in the spirit of the late Supreme Court Justice.

McKay was the 2005 recipient of the Jack Horrigan Award, which is presented annually by the Pro Football Writers of America to the club or league office executive who is the most helpful and cooperative with the local and national news media that cover the NFL.

McKay and his family have substantially deep roots in collegiate and professional football, dating back more than 30 years to when McKay's late father, John, led the University of Southern California Trojans to four national championships and later was named the first Head Coach of the Buccaneers in 1975.

McKay has served on numerous League committees during his NFL career. Former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue named McKay co-chairman of the NFL's Competition Committee in 1998, replacing the late New York Giants General Manager George Young and he has held that position since.

McKay will continue to serve in the same capacity in 2008 along with Tennessee Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher. Since 1994, McKay has served on this committee of NFL coaches and executives who study the game and recommend rules modifications to ensure player safety while promoting competitiveness in the league. In December of 2002, Tagliabue named McKay to a working group of five senior club executives as part of the newly-created NFL owners' committee on diversity in the workplace. For the past three years, McKay has also served on the NFL Management Council working group of league executives that helps advise on collective bargaining issues. Additionally, he is a member of the working group for the Workplace Diversity Committee.

Prior to entering the NFL on a full-time basis, McKay was an attorney with the Tampa law firm of Hill, Ward, and Henderson, joining them in 1986. While in that position, he served as the Buccaneers' legal counsel for six years.

McKay, who also taught a course in sports/entertainment law at Stetson University's College of Law, earned his Bachelor's degree in 1981 from Princeton University. He graduated from Stetson's College of Law in 1984 and clerked for two years for Tampa U.S. District Judge William Terrell Hodges.

Born March 16, 1959 in Eugene, Oregon, McKay grew up in Los Angeles and Tampa, graduating from Tampa's Jesuit High School. An avid long distance runner, he has participated in and finished two New York City marathons and one recent Atlanta marathon. McKay and his wife, Terrin, have two sons, Hunter and John.