San Francisco 49ers president of football operations and general manager John Lynch has been added to the NFL Competition Committee, the NFL announced on Friday.
The NFL Competition Committee plays a crucial role in shaping the rules and regulations of the game. The committee's main task is to review and recommend changes to various aspects of the NFL, such as playing rules, roster regulations, technology and player safety. The committee gathers input from a wide range of sources, including NFL clubs, players, coaches and other stakeholders, using surveys, meetings and data analysis.
Following every NFL season, all 32 NFL clubs complete a survey on player protection, officiating, competitive balance and technology. Ahead of the National Scouting Combine in Indianapolis, the NFL Competition Committee meets with coaches, general managers, players and NCAA representatives to gather their input about potential changes to the rules and review data on injuries, instant replay and other systems. The committee then reviews the feedback with league medical advisors, members of the coaches' and general managers' subcommittees and NFL Players Association representatives to later present a report of its findings to the league's 32 owners, who vote on any proposed new rules or rules changes at the league's annual meeting, according to the NFL Operations website.
The NFL Competition Committee was established by commissioner Pete Rozelle in 1968, shortly after the announcement of the NFL-AFL merger set for the 1970 season. It replaced the earlier Rules Committee, which had been in place since 1932 to adapt and develop the game's rules.
In addition to Lynch, Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles was added to the committee. The NFL commissioner Roger Goodell selects the members of the Competition Committee, which currently includes:
- Rich McKay (Chairman) – CEO, Atlanta Falcons
- Katie Blackburn – executive vice president, Cincinnati Bengals
- Chris Grier – general manager, Miami Dolphins
- Stephen Jones – COO, executive vice president and director of player personnel, Dallas Cowboys
- John Mara – president, CEO and owner, NY Giants
- Sean McDermott – head coach, Buffalo Bills
- Sean McVay – head coach, Los Angeles Rams
- Mike Tomlin – head coach, Pittsburgh Steelers
Lynch doubles as the general manager and president of football operations for the San Francisco 49ers, overseeing team moves and the organization's personnel department. He joined the team in February of 2017, along with head coach Kyle Shanahan. Lynch is a nine-time Pro Bowl safety and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2021.
