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By Mike Vandermause
mvandermause@greenbaypressgazette.com
PHOENIX — When it comes to the heavy hitters among NFL owners, you think of Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Daniel Snyder of the Washington Commanders, Paul Allen of the Seattle Seahawks and Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
They're all here at the posh Arizona Biltmore for the league's annual meeting that begins today, along with many more of their rich and powerful colleagues.
There is one name among this famous group of multimillionaires that no one outside Wisconsin will recognize. It's John Jones, the Green Bay Packers' president and chief operating officer.
Some might see his name and mistake him for the Cowboys owner's brother.
But if you think John Jones is feeling intimidated by the other Jones in town or the other well-known faces here, think again.
Jones is taking a lead role as the Packers' representative during the NFL's most important gathering of the year. Bob Harlan, the Packers' chairman and chief executive officer, is in attendance, but with his impending retirement in May, it's Jones who is doing the heavy lifting.
Jones is serving on four committees at the behest of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
"When Commissioner Goodell came into his new role, he reached out and said he'd like me to get involved," said Jones on Sunday in the lobby outside the Biltmore's conference center.
Jones was engaged in committee work Sunday afternoon in advance of today's formal agenda.
"It keeps you very busy, but the important thing in my mind is, Green Bay's got a seat at the table when there are key league issues being discussed," Jones said.
Jones is the only non-owner among the 32 league representatives, but he said other owners treat him as an equal. Before coming to Green Bay, Jones spent 10 years serving on the NFL Management Council and made key contacts.
"Over the years, I've had the chance to get to know so many people in ownership," he said. "I think that was an important part of my preparation for this."
The perception that big-market owners would look down their noses at Green Bay doesn't match reality, according to Jones.
"Not at all," he said. "I think because of the history and tradition of the Packers, it speaks so strongly."
Jones said Packers General Manager Ted Thompson will have the final say on proposed rules changes this week.
"Ted's going to make our vote on football issues," he said. "I think that's the right way to do it, because you want our top football people making football decisions."
Jones has the following assignments this week:
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mvandermause@greenbaypressgazette.com
PHOENIX — When it comes to the heavy hitters among NFL owners, you think of Jerry Jones of the Dallas Cowboys, Daniel Snyder of the Washington Commanders, Paul Allen of the Seattle Seahawks and Art Rooney of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
They're all here at the posh Arizona Biltmore for the league's annual meeting that begins today, along with many more of their rich and powerful colleagues.
There is one name among this famous group of multimillionaires that no one outside Wisconsin will recognize. It's John Jones, the Green Bay Packers' president and chief operating officer.
Some might see his name and mistake him for the Cowboys owner's brother.
But if you think John Jones is feeling intimidated by the other Jones in town or the other well-known faces here, think again.
Jones is taking a lead role as the Packers' representative during the NFL's most important gathering of the year. Bob Harlan, the Packers' chairman and chief executive officer, is in attendance, but with his impending retirement in May, it's Jones who is doing the heavy lifting.
Jones is serving on four committees at the behest of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell.
"When Commissioner Goodell came into his new role, he reached out and said he'd like me to get involved," said Jones on Sunday in the lobby outside the Biltmore's conference center.
Jones was engaged in committee work Sunday afternoon in advance of today's formal agenda.
"It keeps you very busy, but the important thing in my mind is, Green Bay's got a seat at the table when there are key league issues being discussed," Jones said.
Jones is the only non-owner among the 32 league representatives, but he said other owners treat him as an equal. Before coming to Green Bay, Jones spent 10 years serving on the NFL Management Council and made key contacts.
"Over the years, I've had the chance to get to know so many people in ownership," he said. "I think that was an important part of my preparation for this."
The perception that big-market owners would look down their noses at Green Bay doesn't match reality, according to Jones.
"Not at all," he said. "I think because of the history and tradition of the Packers, it speaks so strongly."
Jones said Packers General Manager Ted Thompson will have the final say on proposed rules changes this week.
"Ted's going to make our vote on football issues," he said. "I think that's the right way to do it, because you want our top football people making football decisions."
Jones has the following assignments this week:
- The management council executive working group committee, which will study the future of collective bargaining and the relationship with the players' union.
- The qualifiers committee, which will examine revenue sharing.
- The stadium committee, which will tackle issues related to financing new stadiums in the league.
- The Super Bowl advisory committee, which will make recommendations on future Super Bowl sites.
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