Tony Wyllie facts for kids

Tony Wyllie was born on December 31, 1967. He is a very successful leader in the world of sports and communications. He is currently the CEO of The Collective Engine. Before that, he worked as the regional president for Special Olympics North America. Tony Wyllie is well-known for his long career in the National Football League (NFL). He worked for teams like the Washington Redskins, St. Louis Rams, Tennessee Titans, and Houston Texans. He has won the Pro Football Writers of America Pete Rozelle Award five times. This award is given for excellent public relations work. He is the only person to win it for his work with three different NFL teams.

Early Life and School

Tony Wyllie was born in Brooklyn, New York. When he was a child, his family moved to Houston, Texas. He went to Cy-Fair High School near Houston. After high school, he studied journalism at Texas Southern University. Later, he earned a master's degree in business from Rice University.

Tony Wyllie's Career Journey

Tony Wyllie's career started with internships and grew into a leadership role in the NFL. He became known for his great skills in public relations.

Starting Out in Football

In 1991, while still in college, Tony Wyllie started as an intern for the Houston Oilers. He helped with public relations, talking to sports reporters. In 1992, he interned with the San Diego Chargers. The next year, 1993, he worked for the Dallas Cowboys. He even received a Super Bowl ring when the Cowboys won Super Bowl XXVIII! Besides football, he also interned for the Houston Astros baseball team. He wrote for news groups like the Associated Press and local newspapers.

Working with the Rams

In 1994, Tony Wyllie joined the Los Angeles Rams as an assistant director. He helped the team with public relations. When the Rams moved to St. Louis in 1995, he stayed with them. He was the main person talking to the media during this big move. His job was to share positive news, even when the team was not winning many games. In 1997, his team won the Pete Rozelle award. This showed they were the best public relations team in the NFL. He also helped the NFL with public relations for the 1996 and 1997 NFC Championship games. He worked with the Rams until 1998.

Time with the Titans

In 1998, Tony Wyllie became the youngest public relations director in the NFL. He joined the Tennessee Oilers. In 2000, after the team became the Tennessee Titans, he won his second Pete Rozelle award. He also helped with public relations for the 1999 Pro Bowl. During his time with the Titans, they made it to the Super Bowl. They played against his old team, the Rams, and lost. He stayed with the Titans until 2000.

Building the Houston Texans

In 2000, Tony Wyllie moved to the Houston Texans. He became the Vice President of Communications. The Texans were a brand new team and would not play their first game until 2002. For two years, he helped build the team's image. This included showing off the team's new logo. The team owner, Bob McNair, praised Tony for setting up many interviews to promote the Texans.

While with the Texans, Tony Wyllie won the Pete Rozelle award three more times: in 2004, 2007, and 2010. This made him the only person in NFL history to win the award for three different teams. He also taught at Texas Southern University. In 2010, he received the Spirit Award from the Houston Association of Black Journalists.

Leading Communications for the Redskins

In May 2010, Tony Wyllie became a Senior Vice President for the Washington Redskins. He was in charge of all their communications. He advised the team owner, Daniel Snyder, on how to improve the team's public image. He also worked with star players like Robert Griffin III to help them manage their image. Sports expert Stephen A. Smith called Tony Wyllie "one of the best in the business." He left the Redskins in 2019, after being their longest-serving public relations person.

Super Bowl Experiences

Throughout his career, Tony Wyllie has been part of the NFL's public relations team for eight different Super Bowls. For example, during Super Bowl XL, he helped players from both teams set up interviews with national media.

Working for Special Olympics

In 2019, Tony Wyllie left the Washington team to join Special Olympics North America. He became their regional president and managing director. The Redskins owner, Dan Snyder, said he was very proud of Tony's new role. Tony Wyllie also started his own company, The Collective Engine, where he is the CEO.

Personal Life

Tony Wyllie is married to Natasha, and they have two children, James Anthony and Toni Simone. The Texans owner, Bob McNair, even named a race horse "Tony Terrific" after him! Tony Wyllie also teaches at Georgetown University in their Sports Industry Management program. He has received several awards from his old school, Texas Southern University. In 2020, he was chosen by former NFL player Isaac Bruce to present him into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.