Falcons President and CEO, Rich McKay, has been a fixture in the National Football League for more than 30 years. One of the League's most influential executives, McKay is entering his 16th season with the Atlanta Falcons. During McKay's tenure, the Falcons have been to the playoffs seven times, been to three NFC Championship games and participated in Super Bowl LI. McKay was hired by Owner and Chairman Arthur M. Blank in 2004 and served his first four years as the team's general manager. He was promoted to president and chief executive officer in 2011. That same year, national columnist and creator of Monday Morning Quarterback (MMQB), Peter King, named McKay number 10 out of the 100 most influential people in the NFL. McKay was the point person in the negotiation, development, and building of Mercedes-Benz Stadium, a process that began in earnest in 2008. Working closely with Blank, the city of Atlanta, the state of Georgia, and the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, McKay helped to secure approval and financing for Mercedes-Benz Stadium and created a true public-private partnership. The club broke ground on Mercedes-Benz Stadium on May 19, 2014, and it was completed in August of 2017 and serves as the home of the Atlanta Falcons and Atlanta United. He is the only executive to have led two successful stadium negotiations (Atlanta and Tampa Bay). In April of 2014, McKay was named President of AMB Sports & Entertainment (AMBSE) which oversees the Falcons, Atlanta United and Mercedes-Benz Stadium. McKay has served as a member of the NFL's Competition Committee for the past 26 years, which is longer than any member has ever served. He has been co-chairman and then chairman for the past 22 years (co-chairman 1998-2011 and chairman 2011-current). The eight-member committee is comprised of NFL head coaches and League executives who study the game and recommend rule changes and modifications to ensure player safety while promoting competitiveness. The Competition Committee has recommended and passed over fifty (50) player safety rules changes since 2002. In addition to his commitment to advancing the game, McKay has been involved in the negotiation of collective bargaining agreements with the National Football League Players Association and was highly involved in the negotiations that led to the current multi-year collective bargaining agreement signed in 2011.
