NFL hires Runyan as VP of policy and rules administration

The NFL announced Tuesday that longtime Philadelphia Eagles offensive lineman Jon Runyan has been hired as its vice president of policy and rules administration.

Runyan's role in the league office will be to oversee club and game-related initiatives related to players, while also serving as a designee to commissioner Roger Goodell for on-field discipline.

"Jon's breadth of experience from the gridiron to the halls of Congress to the NFL offices brings a unique perspective shaped by leadership as a player and in public service," Troy Vincent, the NFL's executive vice president of football operations, said in a statement. "He is a welcome addition to our team as we work to advance and grow the game, and develop all football personnel and players."

Runyan, a fourth-round pick in the 1996 draft, played 14 seasons in the NFL before announcing his retirement at the end of the 2009 campaign and later joining U.S. congress.

The majority of his NFL career was spent in Philadelphia, where he started every possible game over nine seasons from 2000-08.

"It was my life's dream to play in the NFL and I am incredibly grateful for the experience those 14 seasons gave me," Runyan said. "I am thrilled to once again be a part of the NFL family and give back to the game that gave me so much. I am looking forward to sharing the experiences and lessons I've learned on and off the field with fellow NFL personnel, and I am excited for this great opportunity."