George Mason athletic director named CEO of NFL Alumni

George Mason University Athletic Director and former Washington professional football player Brad Edwards has been named CEO of NFL Alumni, an organization of retired players. 

Edwards, who played in the NFL for nine years, including a starring role in the Washington team's last championship, succeeds Beasley Reece, who announced his retirement earlier this year. He is expected to begin his new role in early October. 

In addition to being athletic director at GMU, Edwards is also an assistant vice president. He has been at GMU since 2014 and during his tenure led a department that secured more than $42 million in revenue contracts and commitments, according to a news release. 

Edwards previously served as athletic director at Jacksonville University (Fla.), senior vice president of intercollegiate athletics and institutional advancement at Newberry College (S.C.) and senior associate athletic director at the University of South Carolina.

“It is an honor to be joining NFL Alumni and to serve those retired players and spouses, cheerleaders, and coaches who helped build the NFL into the most successful sports enterprise in this country,” Edwards said. “I look forward to expanding the NFLA’s long tradition of ‘Caring for Kids’ and ‘Caring for Our Own’ while meaningfully contributing to Alumni development programs around the country.”

Edwards, 56, is a graduate of the University of South Carolina, where he majored in business administration, and he has a master of arts in education from Michigan State University.  

“We are very pleased to have Brad Edwards join our national office,” said NFL Alumni Chairman Tracy Porter.  “He is very familiar with NFLA on both a local and national level.  We look forward to continued success under his outstanding leadership.”

Edwards was a defensive standout for three NFL teams from 1988-96. He was a second-round draft choice of the Minnesota Vikings in 1988. He later signed with the Washington Redskins (now Commanders) in 1990 and ended his career with the Falcons from 1994-1996.   Edwards was runner-up in the voting for MVP in Super Bowl XXVI, when he made two key interceptions in Washington’s 37-24 win over the Buffalo Bills.

NFL Alumni was founded in 1967 and is based in Mt. Laurel, N.J. It has 42 local chapters around the country.