The NFL has appointed the first woman to its Competition Committee, Ben Austro of Football Zebras reports. The league confirmed to Austro that Katie Blackburn, the executive vice president of the Bengals, was added to the influential committee in August.
The Competition Committee recommends rules changes to the league’s 32 owners and reviews competitive issues and officiating concerns.
The Bengals have had a seat on the Competition Committee for all but seven years since 1968, according to Austro, with Paul Brown, Mike Brown and Marvin Lewis having previously served on it. Blackburn is Mike Brown’s daughter and Paul Brown’s granddaughter, marking the first time a family has had three generations serve on the Competition Committee.
Colts coach Frank Reich, Titans coach Mike Vrabel and Dolphins General Manager Chris Grier also joined the committee, per Austro. The Competition Committee now has 10 members, up one member from last year, with Packers president Mark Murphy, Broncos president of football operations John Elway and Saints coach Sean Payton now off the committee.
Reich and Vrabel join Ravens executive vice president Ozzie Newsome and Washington coach Ron Rivera as former players on the committee. That’s the most ever on the Competition Committee at one time.
Rich McKay remains chairman of the committee, a role he has had since 1998.