NFL News - NFLPA trying to avoid Redskins name controversy

The letters went out this week, via priority mail, which organizers maintain they are sending to every single NFL player at every single team headquarters in the NFL.

Given the techno times, Twitter blasts were sent, too, to reach this audience.

In their exhaustive campaign to force Washington's NFL franchise to discard its racially-offensive team name, the Oneida Indian Nation and the National Congress of American Indians are trying to generate more momentum by enlisting players.

That's ambitious enough. Appeal to individual consciousness.

Yet something is missing.

The letter sent to the players, a week after 50 U.S. Senators denounced the team name, was signed by 75 entities, including the NAACP, the Anti-Defamation League and the National Urban League.

Not on the list of signatories is the NFL Players Association, conspicuously absent with an official position.

Although DeMaurice Smith, the NFLPA's executive director, has acknowledged that the team name is a slur and implies that it should be changed, the union has not been compelled to throw its weight on the issue.

This is a bit surprising, given that the NFLPA battles the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell on so many fronts.

"I have conveyed my thoughts on this issue both to Roger and to the team," Smith said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. "They understand our position and I believe that those conversations are most effective when they can remain private.

"As I have stated publicly, though, I do not believe anyone should inflict pain, embarrass or insult, especially given the racial insensitivity of the term 'Redskin.' As you know, I grew up here and like all Washingtonians I became a fan of this team. The beauty of sports and of the Washington football franchise is that it will always have the ability to bring this community together, regardless of what decision is made about the team name."

Eric Winston, the NFLPA's newly-elected president, recently has expressed similar sentiments but also stopped short of calling for Washington owner Dan Snyder to change his team's name.

"That's not something we're going to get in the middle of," Winston told Pro Football Talk Live.

Maybe that's why proponents for changing the name are carrying their plea directly to the players, sensing that it could ignite the union leadership to take a stronger stance.

"The players union has been has been a strong voice against inequality and injustice, and it has a moral responsibility to continue that legacy in the face of a team promoting a dictionary-defined racial slur," Oneida Indian Nation representative Ray Halbritter said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports.

"We are grateful that Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has spoken out on this issue, and we are hopeful that the union's leaders and players will stand in solidarity with the groups fighting this injustice, just as so many of those groups have stood with the players in their disputes with the league."

Typically, the NFLPA, a member of the AFL-CIO, has been prone to lend its support for labor issues. It backed the unprecedented efforts this year by football players at Northwestern to form a union, just as it once backed hotel workers seeking to unionize in Indianapolis.

It also launched a recent campaign resisting proposed legislation in Louisiana that would have changed the formula for applying worker's compensation benefits to pro athletes. The bill, which could have directly affected some of its constituents, was withdrawn.

But the controversial Washington name issue, despite being so close to home, is a different animal.

Will enough NFL players step forward individually to provide a push?

Few players demonstrate the nerve of Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman, who is willing to freely express himself – and often in a thoughtful manner – on almost any subject.

By and large, you're talking about a group that despite being more 70 percent African-American, hasn't even shown an overwhelming conviction to denounce the use of the N-word.

So it might be a stretch to expect that a large percentage of players – not to be confused with social activists of the 1960s – will become passionate about Snyder's team name.

But the challenge to move the needle exists. And perhaps there's hope, given the manner in which NBA players rallied – in concert with leadership from its players union -- as the situation that exposed the racist views of Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling unfolded.

On one level, the bar was raised for what's acceptable in the sporting environment.

Yet no outside groups needed to solicit any support from NBA players.

The letters to NFL players might raise awareness and educate, more drops in the bucket of a process that proponents of the name change have been engaged in for years.

The correspondence would probably be a lot more effective, though, with a priority buy-in from the body that represents leadership for the players at large.

(Quote:DeMaurice Smith - DeMaurice F. "De" Smith (born February 3, 1964) is the Executive Director of the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA), and he was elected unanimously by a board of active player representatives on March 15, 2009. As Executive Director of the NFLPA during the 2011 NFL lockout, Smith played a major role in helping the players and NFL owners come to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement.)

George H. McCaskey -- Chicago Bears' Owner

George Halas McCaskey is the current chairman of the NFL's Chicago Bears, who replaced his brother Michael McCaskey as chairman in 2011.

Biography

McCaskey, the eighth-oldest child of Bears owner Virginia Halas McCaskey and Ed McCaskey (who himself was a former Bears chairman), was originally an assistant state attorney in Lee and DeKalb counties. McCaskey also worked in television after graduating from Arizona State University in 1981, and was a reporter for an NBC affiliate in Peoria.He was the team's senior director of ticket operations since the Bears 1991 season,[4] and was a member of the team's board of directors since 2004.In 2011, during the NFL lockout, McCaskey's brother Michael retired as chairman of the club after 12 years. Before he assumed his position, he met with Chicago Blackhawks owner Rocky Wirtz, as well as White Sox and Bulls owner Jerry Reinsdorf, with the first NFL owner he met being Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys.

“He was very gracious, very accommodating. He’s a fascinating guy. I really enjoyed visiting with him, getting to know him. We sat in a suite at Cowboys Stadium and looked out over the field. We then went downstairs and bumped into a tour group. As soon as they saw who he was, they were going crazy. They were taking pictures and he was chatting them up.”

—McCaskey on his meeting with Jerry Jones
McCaskey and Ted Phillips both were also known for the firing of Bears general manager Jerry Angelo.

"The way I see it is in those three key hires, you evaluate the entire body of work and see whether the entire body of work merits having that person back for another season. It's not one game or one play. Again, look at the Giants. They had confidence in their people, their coach, their plan, and it bore fruit."

—McCaskey on Jerry Angelo's firing
McCaskey eventually hired former Bears area scout Phil Emery.

George Halas McCaskey became the fourth Chairman of the Board in Chicago Bears team history on May 5, 2011, following in the footsteps of grandfather, George Halas, father, Edward W. McCaskey and brother, Michael.

George is one of the 13 grandchildren – and namesake – of George Halas, the founder and patriarch of the Chicago Bears. Like his brothers and sisters, he grew up around the Bears. His first part-time job, at age 14, was as an office assistant at the team's headquarters in Chicago's Loop. He later worked for several summers as a ball boy at Bears training camp, calling it one of the best experiences of his life.

George will work to carry on the storied tradition of the Bears with a yearly goal of winning the NFL Championship, uphold the integrity and values established in the previous 92 years of the club and oversee the franchise's leadership role in the Chicagoland community.

He previously served as the team's Senior Director of Ticket Operations, working in the ticket office for 20 seasons, joining
the Bears in 1991 as Ticket Manager. He has been a member of the Bears' Board of Directors since 2004. In 2010 he also
held the duties of Vice Chairman of the team.

George attended Arizona State University, where he earned his bachelor's degree in Broadcasting in 1978 and his law degree in 1981. He passed the Illinois bar exam in 1981, but now describes himself as a "recovering lawyer." He worked in television news in Phoenix, Peoria, Tulsa and Chicago, before serving as an Assistant State's Attorney in Lee County and DeKalb County, Illinois.

In his spare time, George enjoys officiating youth sports, including baseball, soccer and basketball.

McCaskey and his wife Barb have one child, a son, Conor.

Jerry Richardson -- Carolina Panthers' Owner

 Jerome Johnson "Jerry" Richardson, Sr. (born July 11, 1936) is the founder and principal owner of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League.

Jerry Richardson net worth: Jerry Richardson is an American businessman and NFL team owner who has a net worth of $1.1 billion. Jerry Richardson has earned his net worth as the current majority owner and founder of the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League. Jerry was born July 11, 1936 in Spring Hope, North Carolina) is a native Carolinian whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship to his home. On October 26, 1993. He played football at Wofford College and was also a player in the NFL for the Baltimore Colts.

Richardson became the first former NFL player since George Halas to become an owner when the Carolinas were unanimously awarded the NFL's 29th franchise. Richardson has firmly established the NFL into the Carolina landscape. Richardson and his wife, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson, have two sons, Jon and Mark, and a daughter, Ashley Richardson Allen, of Charlotte. The Richardson's have nine grandchildren and live in Charlotte. Richardson is an active owner of the team, however he leaves most issues to his front office staff and coaches to make all decisions regarding player personnel and game strategy.

Jerry had never missed a Carolina home game until he was hospitalized before a Monday Night Football game against division rivals Tampa Bay, on December 8, 2008. He had a history of heart trouble and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2002. He received a new heart on February 1, 2009 and his doctors report that he is recovering well from the transplant. He supports his team in good and bad times, wins and losses. He nickname "Big Cat", was giving to him because of his connection with the team. Richardson diverse career includes being the first to open a Hardee's franchise in 1961 under Spartan Foods, as well as CEO of Flagstar, controlling 2,500 restaurants and 100,000 employees and retired in 1995.

Jerry Richardson is a native Carolinian whose dream was to bring NFL football and the world championship he knew as a player in the league to his home. With the Panthers in their second decade, Richardson has firmly established the NFL into the Carolina landscape while dedicating his efforts to making the rest of his vision a reality. He is the only person to be inducted into both the North and South Carolina Business and Athletic Halls of Fame.

On Oct. 26, 1993, Richardson became the first former NFL player since George Halas to become an owner when the Carolinas were unanimously awarded the NFL's 29th franchise. Most recently, Richardson played a pivotal role as Co-Chairman of the NFL Executive Committee in reaching an unprecedented 10-year Collective Bargaining Agreement with the NFLPA in 2011.

"Jerry Richardson has always put himself out there to take those tough jobs and get it done in a way that reflects well on the NFL and this franchise," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell of Richardson's efforts on behalf of the league as well as his Panthers.

A lifelong resident of the Carolinas, Richardson and his wife, Rosalind Sallenger Richardson, have two sons, Jon and Mark, and a daughter, Ashley Richardson Allen, of Charlotte. The Richardsons have nine grandchildren and live in Charlotte.

Edited excerpt from Johnny Unitas: America's Quarterback

A Lasting Impression

Jerry Richardson, a tall, shy receiver was one of the newcomers to the Colts in 1959. Like Unitas, he came from a small college. He had played college football in South Carolina at Wofford College, and Richardson always seemed to be explaining just where Wofford was.

There were approximately one dozen other receivers running around trying to make a lasting impression, one that would enable them to fill the sole spot on the roster. Richardson's chances were not exactly promising, being taken in the 13th round and the 153rd player overall.

Unitas saw the underdog in Richardson, who had married his college sweetheart, Rosalind Sallenger. When training camp opened for the 1959 season, Richardson had no way to get to practice, so Unitas helped him out. He picked him up in the front of the rented house every morning to drive him to camp. They got along fine. Unitas didn't talk, and neither did the rookie, which suited them both.

The Touchdown Catch

Late in the 1959 championship game, was Baltimore head coach Weeb Ewbank thinking of a field goal to give the Colts an eight point lead in the 4th quarter against the New York Giants? Richardson, the rookie receiver Unitas chauffeured during training camp was waiting to return the favor by bringing in the play that Ewbank wanted.

"I stood next to Weeb and looked at him for the play," recalls Richardson. "I finally asked him what the play was and he remarked, 'Just tell Unitas to score.’”

Given the opportunity to score a seemingly safe field goal or a touchdown Unitas would always go for the six points.

"Raymond Berry was split on the left and would make his cut into the middle underneath the linebacker. I lined up close to the tackle and would swing wide to the outside. It really was Berry's play all the way. He had done it a thousand times. But Unitas looked off Berry, and I looked around and saw the ball coming to me. I squeezed it tight and went into the end zone standing up. I never expected the ball and neither did the Giants."

The rookie's touchdown was the clincher. The Colts moved closer to the championship with a 21-9 lead.

Richardson was hospitalized in Charlotte at Carolinas Medical Center in early December 2008, one month after receiving a pacemaker. Richardson, who had a history of heart trouble and had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2002,was placed on a donor waiting list for a new heart two days later. He received a new heart on February 1, 2009, and he has recovered from the transplant.

Mary Wilson -- Buffalo Bills' Owner

Mary Wilson, wife of the franchise’s late founder and sole owner, is now the controlling owner of the Buffalo Bills.

With the loss of legendary owner Ralph C. Wilson, Jr., the ownership of the Buffalo Bills begins a period of transition.

The Bills organization today is announcing that Mary Wilson, wife of the franchise’s late founder and sole owner, is now the controlling owner.

A process will be established at an appropriate time for the sale of the franchise. This process will ensure that the club complies and is faithful to NFL rules and to its obligations to New York State and Erie County. We plan to have detailed discussions with the NFL, the State and County, and others as we determine the timing and structure of any sales process.

Mary Wilson said, “I have complete confidence in Russ Brandon, our President and CEO, to continue his duties of running the organization. General Manager Doug Whaley and Head Coach Doug Marrone remain empowered by Russ to run the football operation.”

Brandon, Whaley and Marrone will direct the team with the same goal firmly in place -- winning.

As Brandon has stated repeatedly since last week, “We are in mourning over the loss of our founder, owner and friend, Hall of Famer Ralph Wilson. But our organization is operating in the day-to-day functions that we normally would because that’s the way Mr. Wilson would have wanted it.”

The death of Ralph Wilson has created uncertainty about the future of the Bills in Buffalo, but the team will be conducting business as usual until and if the team is sold.

That was the message from the team on Thursday when they announced that Wilson’s widow Mary will take over as the controlling owner of the team with her husband’s death.

“I have complete confidence in Russ Brandon, our President and CEO, to continue his duties of running the organization. General Manager Doug Whaley and Head Coach Doug Marrone remain empowered by Russ to run the football operation,” Mary Wilson said in an announcement from the team.

Selling the team is still in the plans, however. The team also announced that a process will be established regarding the sale of the franchise “at the appropriate time” and that the process will be “faithful to NFL rules and to its obligations to New York State and Erie County.”

A window to move the Bills opens after the 2019 season when the buyout to leave Ralph Wilson Stadium drops to $28.4 million. A move would be impractical if not impossible before that point and it seems likely that the Bills will have different ownership by the time that date rolls around.

Stephen J. Bisciotti -- Baltimore Ravens' Owner

 Stephen J. Bisciotti (born April 10, 1960 in Philadelphia) is the current majority owner of the Baltimore Ravens of the National Football League.He founded a family of technical staffing companies known as Allegis Group, which owns Aerotek and TEKsystems.

Under Steve Bisciotti, the Ravens have joined an elite group– they are now one of 12 NFL teams with multiple Super Bowl victories. Six franchises have won one title. Ten others have earned the game and lost, while four teams have never advanced to the Super Bowl. More importantly, with last season’s Super Bowl XLVII Championship, the Ravens (two)joined the Patriots (three) and the Giants and Steelers, with two each, as teams that have won more than one NFL title since the turn of the century in 2000.

"We’re proud of what we’re giving to Baltimore,” Bisciotti says. "You have to make the playoffs to have the opportunity to compete for championships, and championships are our goal. We want to be a consistent winner that avoids big lulls and dips."

Baltimore is the only NFL team to earn the playoffs each of the last five seasons (2008-12), and the Ravens won at least one postseason game each of those years.(The five-consecutive-season-playoff run is a franchise record.) Under Steve’s leadership, the Ravens, who have made the playoffs six of the last seven years, have recently advanced to three AFC Championship games, doing so in 2012, 2011 and 2008.

The passionate Bisciotti, who at 53 is the second-youngest owner in the NFL (to Washington’s Daniel Snyder - 48), bought a minority interest in the Ravens in 2000 from Art Modell and completed the purchase of the franchise on April 9, 2004. Steve’s initial investment to the team provided funds to secure free agents for the 2000 Super Bowl XXXV championship team.

Today, his influence in the NFL continues to rise – he currently is a member of two important ownership committees: Broadcasting and Digital Media.

When Bisciotti, now in his 14th year as an owner of the Ravens, hired John Harbaugh as the team’s head coach in January of 2008, some eyebrows were raised. Harbaugh had never been a head coach at any level. In fact, he had not been an offensive or defensive coordinator in the NFL. It was obviously the right choice. Baltimore advanced to the playoffs in its first five years with Harbaugh, who is the only modern day (since 1970) head coach to go to and win a playoff game in each of his first five seasons.

“I think leadership is difficult to define, but you can recognize leadership when you see it,” Bisciotti says. “We all saw something in John. And, you have to be willing to separate yourself from the masses – take some chances – to achieve great success. There’s probably a little bit more perception that we took a risk with John. We don’t think we did.”

(Since taking over as the Ravens' owner, Bisciotti's teams have earned the playoffs a total of six times, including the AFC's No. 2 seed in 2006 with a franchise-record 13-3 mark.His 2004 team finished with a 9-7 record, missing the playoffs by just one game.)

(Since taking over as the Ravens’ owner, Bisciotti’s teams have earned the playoffs a total of five times, including the AFC’s second seed in 2006 with a 13-3 mark. His 2004 team finished with a 9-7 record, missing the playoffs by one game.)

Born in Philadelphia on April 10, 1960, Bisciotti moved with his family to Baltimore (Severna Park) in March of 1961 when Steve, the youngest of three children, was 11 months old. His father, Bernard, took the children to Orioles and Colts games. Sadly, Bernard died of leukemia when Steve was 8. His mother, Patricia, a huge Ravens’ fan, then raised the children.

After graduating from Salisbury (MD) State University with a degree in liberal arts in 1982, Bisciotti worked in the temporary help industry. In 1983 (he was 23), he started Aerotek with his cousin, Jim Davis. They offered aerospace and technology companies access to skilled temporary employees. Starting with two employees and two clients, Bisciotti and Davis produced $1.5 million in sales in the first year.

Aerotek grew into the Allegis Group, which currently is the largest privately-held staffing firm in the United States. The company, which is based just outside Baltimore and has offices throughout the U.S., Canada and Europe, has over 8,000 internal employees and 90,000 high-end contract workers. Allegis Group, which, like Steve, does little self promotion or publicity, places employees in positions from engineers to cable installers, to computer programmers, to marketing specialists.

Until he bought the Ravens, Bisciotti’s business success was not well known to the general public on a national level. In fact, it wasn’t even notable in the Baltimore area, where he and his partners kept a low profile. “I’m okay if I’m one of the least known owners in pro sports,” Bisciotti says.

Steve, an energetic visionary, quietly is dedicated to a number of important causes and projects, some associated with his deep Catholic faith. He is a board member for Catholic Charities. Most of Bisciotti’s extensive charity work and generous giving are done without public notice.

Bisciotti enjoys golfing, boating and is devoted to University of Maryland athletics, especially the men’s basketball team. He and his wife, Renée (Foote), are the parents of two sons, Jason, who owns a master’s in business, and Jack, who earned a degree in sports and entertainment management. Renée helped design the interior and selected the furnishings at the Ravens’ training complex. The family lives in Millersville, MD.

Bisciotti is pronounced Bih-SHAH-tee.

Bisciotti is a board member for both Associated Catholic Charities and Mother Seton Academy. He and his wife Renée (Foote) have two sons, Jason and Jack. The family lives on the Severn River in Maryland.

Arthur Blank -- Atlanta Falcons' Owner

Arthur Blank is Owner & CEO of the Atlanta Falcons and Co-Founder of The Home Depot, the world’s largest home improvement retailer and second largest retailer in the United States.  When he retired as Co-Chairman of The Home Depot in 2001, the company was a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and one of Fortune magazine’s “Global Most Admired Companies.”

Since Blank purchased the Falcons in 2002, there have been significant changes that have created renewed excitement among Falcons fans across the region.  During Blank’s first year as owner, the Falcons generated a 100 percent increase in season ticket sales – the highest single-year increase in NFL history – began a streak of 56 consecutive sold-out games, and built the franchise’s first season ticket waiting list.  Now in his tenth season, Blank has distinguished himself as one of the most innovative and progressive owners in all of professional sports, allowing him to attract and retain some of the most talented executives, coaches and players in the NFL.

Blank’s Family of Businesses portfolio also includes The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation; Atlanta Falcons Physical Therapy Centers; PGA TOUR Superstores; and Mountain Sky Guest Ranch and the Pop Stand in Montana.  While diverse in nature, all of his businesses are run based on a common set of core values, which focus on developing customer relationships, treating associates with respect, and supporting communities.

Blank is also dedicated to serving communities personally.  Through his generosity, The Blank Family Foundation has granted more than $250 million to support early childhood development, education, the arts, and parks and greenspace.

Blank serves on the corporate boards of Cox Enterprises and Staples.  He also serves on the board of Outward Bound USA, and on the board of trustees of The Carter Center; Emory University; and The Cooper Institute.

Blank has six children and three grandchildren and lives in Atlanta.

Arthur Blank and his friend Bernie Marcus (see) co-founded Home Depot in 1978. The company is now the world's largest home improvement retailer with nearly $79 billion in sales. Blank retired in 2002 and bought the Atlanta Falcons football team that same year. In March 2013, he agreed to provide most of the financing for the new $1 billion stadium for the team, with the city of Atlanta pitching in $200 million. Through his Arthur Blank Foundation, he invests in early childhood development, education, green space, and the arts and in 2012 he joined the Giving Pledge. Blank and his wife of 17 years, Stephanie Blank, divorced in early 2013.

Biography

Early life

Arthur Blank was born to a Jewish family, in Flushing, New York, with his father, Max, his mother, Molly, and his older brother, Michael. Blank graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York City and went on to attend Babson College, where he graduated in three years in 1963 with a B.S. degree in Business Administration and accounting. He also received an honorary degree from Furman University, where the Falcons held training camp until 2005.

Championship pedigrees in the National Football League are earned through hard work, attention to the smallest details, and a burning desire to continuously raise the bar.

Atlanta Falcons Owner & Chairman Arthur Blank not only understands these facts of life in today’s NFL, he embraces them.

Driven by the tireless pursuit of a Super Bowl championship for the city of Atlanta and his Falcons, Blank, now in his 12th season as an NFL owner, has shaped his club into one of the most successful organizations in professional sports both on and off the field.

Taking control of a franchise in 2002 that had made the playoffs just six times over 36 seasons (17 percent), the Falcons have now become perennial post-season contenders, earning playoff berths in 6 of his 11 years as owner (55 percent), including consecutive playoff appearances in the last three seasons. In addition, since 2008, the Falcons not only recorded its first back-to-back winning seasons, but have a streak of five consecutive winning seasons, leading the NFC in number of wins during the same period (56).

Atlanta’s 31-18 victory over the Detroit Lions in a nationally-televised game on FOX late in 2012 marked the 100th career victory for Blank as owner of the Falcons. His club would go on to post a 13-3 record en route to earning its first playoff victory since 2004 with a thrilling 30-28 come-from-behind win over the Seattle Seahawks in an NFC Divisional Playoff Game at the Georgia Dome.

Blank’s Falcons have enjoyed unprecedented success since the 2008 season when he hired the dynamic duo of General Manager Thomas Dimitroff and Head Coach Mike Smith. Dimitroff was a long-time scout and talent evaluator for the New England Patriots; Smith was a career assistant coach in the college and, more recently, professional ranks with Baltimore and Jacksonville.

Several NFL observers publicly wondered whether Blank had gambled on the rookie tandem. Five years later, Blank’s calculated gamble is a prototype for a number of other NFL clubs that have followed Atlanta’s model to recalibrate their football front offices.

Atlanta’s sound formula of drafting and acquiring skilled players who are then groomed by a veteran coaching staff has produced a Falcons team that will enter the 2013 season with high expectations.

“The currency of the NFL is winning,” Blank said. “We’ve won a lot of games, but they are steps toward our ultimate goal. Our ultimate goal is to have a parade down Peachtree Street with the Lombardi Trophy in hand.”

To accomplish this goal, Blank has empowered and supported Dimitroff and Smith, who have turned the Falcons into one of the NFL’s top teams. Since 2008, the Falcons hold a 32-15 record (.681 winning percentage) against teams on their 2013 schedule. Several national sports publications have predicted the Falcons will once again be one of the League’s most dominate teams in the 2013 season based on the club’s productive offseason, which included solid moves in the draft and free agency.

Dimitroff, who earned Executive of the Year honors from Sporting News in two of his first five seasons as Atlanta’s general manager, is the supremely talented personnel point man for an organization whose roster is filled with current Pro Bowl players and future All-Pro performers. Dimitroff and his astute personnel department have built Atlanta’s roster through the draft, bolstering it with a series of strategic player acquisitions in free agency and through trades.

As proof, franchise cornerstones selected through the draft since 2008 include QB Matt Ryan, WR Julio Jones, LB Sean Weatherspoon, LT Sam Baker, S Thomas DeCoud and S William Moore. Ryan, Jones, DeCoud, and Moore were all named to the NFC’s Pro Bowl team in 2012.

It’s a roster built to last. Of the 46 players selected in the draft from 2008 through 2012, a remarkable 34 draftees remain on the Falcons roster entering the 2013 season, and 39 – or 85 percent – remain active players in the NFL.

Whether it is selecting players in the draft or acquiring them through free agency, the Falcons believe in being collaborative.

“Thomas and Mike work very well together,” Blank said. “These two men may not always have the same opinions, but they share a common vision of success for our club. Combined with team President & CEO Rich McKay, who provides strong support to Thomas and Smitty and heads up our front office operations, we have a strong leadership team that is second to none in the League.”

Atlanta’s players are led by Coach Smith, the fiery head coach who in 2012 became the first coach in franchise history to reach 50 wins – and the third fastest since the NFL merger in 1970 to reach 50 wins – accomplishing the feat in 71 games. Smith is a three-time Coach of the Year winner from Sporting News (2008, 2010, and 2012) and a two-time Coach of the Year recipient from the prestigious KC 101 Club following the 2008 and 2010 seasons. His 56-24 regular season record is the fifth-best mark in the NFL since 2008.

Smith’s 56 wins in his first five seasons are also the second-most among any first time head coach in NFL history, behind only George Seifert (San Francisco, 62-18, 1989-1993). Aided by core principles built around playing fundamentally sound football in all three phases of the game, since 2008 the Falcons have posted a 44-2 record in games where they lead at halftime, and a 42-1 record in contests where they hold the lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter.

One of Smith’s key elements to being a relevant franchise year after year is winning at home. Since 2008, the Georgia Dome has become a “House of Horrors” for visiting NFL clubs as the Falcons have produced a dominating 33-7 home record (.825 winning percentage), the best home record in the NFC and tied with the Baltimore Ravens for the second-best record in the NFL.

The sustainability and relevance of the Falcons has provided numerous opportunities for the franchise and city of Atlanta to be showcased on national television. During the 2013 season, the Falcons will be spotlighted in five prime time national games, adding to the four national games played in each of the past two seasons.

HOW IT ALL BEGAN

A native of Flushing, N.Y., Blank attended Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan, where he competed on the football, baseball, and track teams. He received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration with Distinction from Babson College, where he was active in a variety of extracurricular activities. He co-founded The Home Depot in 1978 and retired from the company as Co-Chairman in 2001. At the time of his retirement, The Home Depot was a component of the Dow Jones Industrial Average and one of Fortune magazine’s “Global Most Admired Companies.” During Blank’s last year as CEO of the company, The Home Depot ranked first in social responsibility in an annual survey conducted by Harris Interactive, Inc.

Blank is recognized throughout the nation for his personal and professional achievements. In 2012, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from the University of Georgia. In 2011, he was the recipient of the Freeing Voices, Changing Lives Award from the American Institute for Stuttering. In 2010, he was recognized by the Council for Quality Growth for his philanthropic endeavors as well as his significant contributions to economic development and quality of life.

In 2008, Blank received an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of South Carolina-Bluffton. In 2006, he was named a Distinguished American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation, which annually recognizes an individual who has utilized his or her talents to attain great success in business, private life, or public service.

Also in 2006, Blank was inducted into the Junior Achievement U.S. Business Hall of Fame, and was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Humanities from Furman University. In 2005, he was named National Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young. In 2003, for the second time in three years, Blank was named Georgia’s Most Respected CEO by Georgia Trend magazine, and in 2002 he was inducted into Georgia State University’s Business Hall of Fame. Among other previous honors, Babson College inducted Blank into its Academy of Distinguished Entrepreneurs in 1995 and conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree in 1998.

Blank serves on a number of boards including the Board of Trustees of The Carter Center, Inc.; the Board of Trustees of The Cooper Institute; and the boards of Cox Enterprises, Inc., and Staples, Inc.

Blank has six children and three grandchildren. A strong believer in work-life balance, Blank still makes time daily for working out and spending time with his family.

BLANK'S NFL SUCCESS

Atlanta’s success under Blank isn’t all that surprising or unexpected. The Falcons have become a model franchise in the eyes of the national media based on winning games on the field and being good citizens in the community off the field. Both of those factors speak directly to Blank’s focus and leadership.

"I see the inner-workings of many NFL teams during my travels covering the League,” said ESPN National NFL Columnist Ashley Fox. “The Falcons are one of the best run franchises in the entire NFL and it all starts with Mr. Blank. He scored big when he hired Thomas Dimitroff and Mike Smith, who have turned the Falcons into consistent winners. The Falcons are among the NFL’s elite because Arthur Blank gets it.”

Blank understands that consistency is at the forefront of becoming a perennial winner in the ultra-competitive world of the NFL. He also knows that in spite of all of the success his club has enjoyed over the past five seasons, there sometimes will be setbacks.

“Nobody was happy with the result of our final game of the 2012 season,” Blank said. “We had a great season, but we came up short. The NFL isn’t easy. It’s a tough league, but our coaching staff and our players are up to it. We’ve had a very productive offseason, and I think we’ll be a better team in 2013 than we were in 2012.”

NEW ATLANTA STADIUM

Even as the Falcons prepare for the 2013 season, Blank and his front office leadership team are preparing for the long-term future of the club. Early in 2013, the Falcons reached an agreement with the Georgia World Congress Center Authority and the city of Atlanta for the construction of a new multi-purpose stadium that will be located in downtown Atlanta.

The state-of-the-art facility is being designed by 360 Architecture and its joint venture partners, and will be constructed by the Holder Hunt Russell Moody joint venture.

“Our goal for the new Falcons stadium is to re-imagine the entire game day experience and create a stadium that will become an iconic destination for sports fans and visitors from all over the world,” 360 Senior Principal Bill Johnson said.

Construction for the retractable roof stadium will begin in 2014, and the Falcons will begin playing in the new stadium in the 2017 season. In addition to Falcons games, the new stadium will host other events currently held in the Georgia Dome, as well as potentially host new marquee events such as the Super Bowl, FIFA World Cup, and the College Football National Championship Game – all of which are significant economic impact generators for the city and state.

“Governor Deal and Mayor Reed have a vision that provides for the long-term health and prosperity of our city and state,” Blank noted. “We appreciate the spirit of collaboration demonstrated by these two men, along with a host of other government and community leaders, in building a successful public-private partnership that will benefit the city, region, and state for many years to come.”

COMMITMENT TO FANS

Whether it’s The Home Depot – the company Blank co-founded and led until his retirement as co-chairman in 2001 – or the Atlanta Falcons, Blank has always subscribed to the idea of hiring the best and brightest people and providing an environment for collaboration, creativity, and continuous improvement.

Blank also understands people and he believes that listening is what matters most. Whether it is customers, fans, players, coaches, or associates, Blank listens, seeks to understand, and responds to all of them and expects all of his associates to do the same.

“Winning is a critical element of the game day experience for our fans,” Blank said. “However, it’s important that we offer everything our fans need from the time they leave their driveway to the time they arrive in ours. We want to make the total game day experience for our fans the best in the NFL.”

The Falcons’ “Rise Up” mantra provides a centerpiece. Four years ago, Blank challenged a team of his front office leadership staff to create a new standard and tradition for the Falcons brand and to put in place innovative brand policies designed to expand the club’s overall image both in Atlanta and nationally. What Blank’s team came up with is the successful “Rise Up” campaign that was introduced by A-list Hollywood actor Samuel L. Jackson.

The campaign, which focuses on a team, an organization, a fan base, and a community rising up together to try to win a championship, was unveiled in the spring of 2010. Jackson’s impassioned call for Atlanta and the Falcons to “Rise Up” together quickly became a rallying cry, as well as a show of solidarity inside and outside the Georgia Dome.

Since its introduction in 2010, the campaign elements have expanded to include local celebrities; government, civic and sports industry leaders; and Falcons fans. The 2013 season will bring a new and exciting twist to “Rise Up” as the Falcons respond to fans’ strong desire to continue the tradition.

COMMITMENT TO COMMUNITY

One of the hallmarks of Blank’s philosophy is giving back to the community. The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Atlanta Falcons have a long history of investing in projects that help others in need, enhance neighborhoods, and improve the quality of life throughout Atlanta.

Since its inception in 1995, The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has granted nearly $300 million to non-profit organizations, with approximately $200 million of the total focused on metro Atlanta, including the Vine City and English Avenue neighborhoods near the Georgia Dome and the new stadium.

Blank has publicly committed to making further significant investments in these communities. Earlier this year, the Blank Foundation announced plans for the creation of the Blank Foundation Neighborhood Prosperity Fund for the purpose of igniting positive change and improving the quality of life in the neighborhoods surrounding the new stadium. This fund will seek to co-invest with an additional $15 million committed to the neighborhoods by Invest Atlanta, the economic development authority for the City of Atlanta.

The Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation invests in innovative approaches to improve youth fitness and reduce childhood obesity across Georgia. Since 2002, the foundation has awarded more than $20 million in grants to more than 900 non-profit organizations. In 2005, the Falcons Youth Foundation launched its Falcons Fitness Zones where, through grant partners, the Foundation engages more than 10,000 kids a year in more than one million hours of physical activity.

Additionally, Atlanta Falcons players, coaches, cheerleaders, and associates remain among the most active community citizens in the NFL, contributing an average of 3,000 hours of their collective personal time each season. Much of this time is spent participating in Atlanta Falcons community relations programs and initiatives, which support a variety of issues and activities, including health and fitness, the development of youth/prep football, breast cancer awareness, combating hunger, outreach in underserved communities, and salute to service.

"It’s important to the franchise and it’s important to me that everyone associated with our organization embraces our commitment to the community,” Blank said. “Not only do I want our players to perform on the field, I want everyone to be good citizens in the community, as well.”

One of the most important days of the year for Blank’s Family of Businesses is All Associates Day – a day when associates from across Blank’s various businesses come together to tackle designated community projects in the Metro Atlanta area.

Earlier this year, Blank and approximately 180 of his associates gathered at KIPP WAYS Academy in the Washington Park community of Atlanta for a day of painting and landscaping. In addition, they participated in Atlanta Habitat for Humanity’s “Brush With Kindness” program, repairing and painting the exteriors of five homes in the English Avenue neighborhood.

Blank’s other businesses, which include PGA TOUR Superstore and Mountain Sky Guest Ranch, also support the communities surrounding their locations through non-profit grants and community outreach.

Blank’s dedication and commitment to the community can also be traced back to his days at The Home Depot. During his tenure, the company donated more than $113 million to the communities it served. In addition, associates provided hundreds of thousands of hours of personal volunteer time on various charitable and community activities.

William V. Bidwill - Arizona Cardinals' Owner

Cardinals team owner William V. Bidwill looks on from the field before Super Bowl XLIII.

William V. "Bill" Bidwill, Sr. (born July 31, 1931) is the principal owner and chairman of the board of the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was part-owner from 1962 to 1972 with his brother Charles, Jr. and has been sole owner since 1972.

Veterans Day never has lost its meaning to Cardinals President William V. Bidwill. The U.S. Navy veteran served his country on active duty from December, 1954 to December, 1956, a source of life-long pride.

“Veterans Day has special meaning, not for myself, but for those who served both before and after me and didn’t get to come home,” offers Bidwill, who joined the U.S. Navy Reserve in May of 1950.

Bidwill has fond memories of his time in the Navy, often prompting excursions during his travels. For instance, last weekend while the Cardinals were in Pittsburgh, Bidwill took time Sunday morning en route to Heinz Field to visit the Carnegie Science Center where the USS Requin (SS-481) is located. The 56-year-old WWII vintage submarine was one of 16 submarines that were part of Submarine Squadron 6, along with the submarine rescue vessel USS Kittiwake (ASR-13), and the submarine tender USS Orion (AS18, where Bidwill was stationed in Norfolk, Virginia.

Each February and March, the Orion and its squadron would relocate from Norfolk to St. Thomas for Operation Springboard, a continuous winter naval exercise operated in the Caribbean Sea. In March of 1956 while in St. Thomas, Bidwill, who compiled the newspaper for the Squadron, was recruited by the Requin’s commanding officer, Henry Bress, to run the ship’s office on the Requin.

“I took a day training trip on the Requin that March in which naval air units participated in anti-submarine training against the Requin,” recalls Bidwill. “During the lunch hour we settled at 200 feet and I ate lamb curry for the first time ever. Bress tried to convince me on that trip to stay and run the ship’s office, but in the end I decided to stay at my position as the editor of the Squadron newspaper.”

Although Bidwill opted against becoming a full-time member of the Requin, he did pass one of the key qualifying tests.

“They used to say if after you went through three hatches and hit your head on them, then you weren’t a prime prospect,” explains Bidwill. “But after the first three, if you had made it through without hitting your head, then you were a good prospect. I passed that test which isn’t easy. You have to hike your leg up almost if you were about to clear a track hurdle and then duck your head so you don’t hit the top of the hatch.”

Fortunately for most museum guests, the Requin now has been equipped with stairs for entry and exit, but Bidwill decided to go through the bulkhead hatches the old way.

“After the first two, I decided to go through the hatch old style,” he shares. “For the first two, I sort of did a side-saddle step to get my nerve up, but then I went through the next two old style.”

Bidwill salutes all American military veterans on their day, thanking them for their service.

William V. Bidwill’s association with the Cardinals began as a child ball boy on Chicago’s South Side and continues today as owner.

A native of Chicago, Bill Bidwill presides over the oldest continuously-operated professional football franchise. Founded in 1898, the Cardinals join the Chicago Bears as the only two remaining charter members of the National Football League (1920). As his involvement with the team continues through its eighth different decade, the current one has to rank among the most memorable. The Cardinals have finished .500 or better in four of the last five seasons. They captured back-to-back division crowns in 2008 and ’09, won their first NFC title and advanced to the Super Bowl for the first time in team history following the ’08 season.

The Cardinals have remained in the Bidwill family since Bill’s father, Charles, a prominent Chicago sports

figure and member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame, purchased the team in 1932. Charles ran the club until his death in the Cardinals’ NFL championship year of 1947. Charles’ wife, Violet, then guided the franchise’s fortunes for the next 15 years, followed jointly by sons Bill and  Charles, Jr. (Stormy). Bill became sole owner in 1972.

Named a Cardinal vice president during his undergraduate days at Georgetown University, Bill Bidwill returned to Chicago from the Navy in 1956 to begin assisting family interests that included football. When the Cardinals moved to St. Louis in 1960, Bidwill returned to the organization on a full-time basis.

Bidwill continues to have a daily presence at the Cardinals training facility and is a popular fixture at team events, charity function and football activities. This past December he received an honorary doctorate from Northern Arizona University.

Bidwill was credited with bringing Super Bowl XXX to Arizona on January of 1996 and the region again hosted the title game when Super Bowl XLVII was played at University of Phoenix Stadium in February of 2008.

An active supporter of various civic and charitable organizations and endeavors, Bidwill directed the formation of Cardinals Charities, the team’s organization dedicated to supporting worthy Arizona causes, shortly after the Cardinals arrived in the state.

He also serves on the Player Dire Need Fund committee as well as the Hall of Fame Committee. In August of 2007 he was named to the Board of Trustees for the Pro Football Hall of Fame, the governing body of the Canton-based organization.

Bidwill and his wife, Nancy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in September of 2010. They are the parents of five children and have nine grandchildren.

Parents

His father, Charles Bidwill, owned the team from 1932, then known as the Chicago Cardinals, until his death in 1947.His mother, Violet, authorized business partner Ray Bennigsen to carry on management of the team. Violet Bidwill married St. Louis businessman Walter Wolfner in 1949. In 1960, Violet moved the Cardinals to St. Louis. Bill and Charles inherited the team after their mother's death in 1962, and served as co-owners until Bill purchased it outright in 1972. Among NFL franchises, only the Chicago Bears and New York Giants have been controlled by one family longer than the Cardinals.

Education

Bidwill was born in in Chicago, Illinois. He went to Georgetown Preparatory School, then was in the United States Navy until 1956. He went to college at Georgetown University. After his graduation, he moved to St. Louis a few months before the Cardinals moved there.