Maryann Turcke, the NFL’s chief operating officer and highest-ranking female executive, is leaving that position for an advisory role in the league office.
Commissioner Roger Goodell, in a memo obtained by Sportico, notified the league’s staff on Monday. Turcke will now serve as an advisor to the NFL. She starts her new role at the end of the month.
“In her new role as Executive Advisor to the Commissioner, Maryann will initially focus on the workplace and operations of the future – thinking about the lessons we have learned over the past several months and how our workplace and business operations can change to meet the challenges ahead,” Goodell wrote. “I am delighted to know that we will have the benefit of Maryann’s experience and strategic thinking as we start the NFL’s second century.”
Turcke was hired by the NFL in 2017 to run the league’s television network. She became the COO one year later.
No immediate reason was provided on why she was stepping down.
There’s long been discussions inside the NFL that major changes were coming to the league office. This is likely the first of several key moves in restructuring some aspects of the New York office.
“Since joining the NFL in 2017, Maryann has distinguished herself in both our Culver City and New York offices,” the memo stated. “As President of NFL Network, she led new programming initiatives and sharply improved the Network’s operations.
After moving to New York to take the COO position, Maryann developed a strong team with a demonstrated record of accomplishment in numerous areas, including Marketing, Club Business Development, Events, Diversity & Inclusion, Human Resources, Information Technology, and Social Responsibility, among others. Her contributions and cross-functional impact on our organization have been truly significant.”
It’s unclear if the NFL will fill her position.