Interview with Michael Huyghue - a podcast by ILR Sports Business Society

Tune into our first interview of the semester, featuring the extremely accomplished Michael Huyghue. Graduating from Cornell in '84 and Michigan Law in '87, Huyghue first worked for the NFLPA under the tutelage of Gene Upshaw, then switched over to the NFL Management Council, where he honed his skills and created a foundation for himself. In 1990, Huyghue was named the GM of the Birmingham Fire of NFL Europe, making him the youngest ever African-American to be named the GM of a professional football team. After then spearheading league operations for NFL Europe, Huyghue was named the VP of the Detroit Lions, and was then hired in the same role, along with the Head of Football Operations and de facto GM of the NFL's new expansion team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. Working for the team, in tandem with now 2x Super Bowl Champion Tom Coughlin, the Jaguars won double-digit games in four of their first five seasons, including reaching two AFC Championships. In 2001, he began Axcess Sports & Entertainment, where he represented the likes of Magic Johnson, Oscar De La Hoya, Snoop Dogg, and more. In 2009, he was named the commissioner of the United Football League, which helped to develop many prominent figures in the NFL today, such as Sean McVay, Mike McDaniel, and Sarah Thomas. Now, he works with the NFL on improving diversity hiring within the NFL, while also teaching at Cornell and coaching the sprint football team. Join us for this exciting dive into one of the most accomplished figures in sports, an icon of African-American success ins ports, and a story about making a name for yourself, perseverance, and the inner-workings of the NFL. Starring Lucas Widerka, Dylan Hale, and Michael Huyghue.

Further episodes of ILR Sports Business Society

Further podcasts by ILR Sports Business Society

Website of ILR Sports Business Society