NFL hires its first in-house lobbyist

The National Football League (NFL) has hired a former Senate Judiciary Committee antitrust lawyer as a lobbyist based in Washington.

The NFL hired Jeff Miller, a former aide to Sen. Herb Kohl (D-Wisc.), to represent its interests in Congress, the AP reported. Miller is the NFL’s first in-house lobbyist, whereas before, it had hired outside representation.

“The emphasis is to have a full-time person spending every waking moment thinking about how what Congress or the administration is doing is going to affect the NFL’s business model,” Miller said. “I had had opportunities in the past to leave the Hill and do other things, such as work at a law firm and lobby firm. But when the NFL calls, you can’t turn that down.”

Miller’s work coincides with the launch of the NFL’s new “Gridiron PAC,” which has its first quarter fundraising numbers due soon.

“I agreed with those who told me that during these changing times in Washington, the league should have full-time representation there like so many other business and entertainment organizations that have issues on the Hill,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell told the AP.