Tony Wyllie communicates greatness
From The East Side:
By Maurice Scott Jr.
During the summer of 2000, the Houston Texans named Mr. Tony Wyllie Vice President of Communications. In his bio with the Texans, he is said to be responsible for molding the image of the team in the public and community.
I think that the Texans are right. The Tony Wyllie that I grew to know when the Rams moved here in 1995 is one of the most kind and honest people I’ve had the pleasure of being around. But more importantly, he is all BUSINESS.
If I had a son (you know I’m getting old and need to work on that. I have two daughters), Tony would be the sort of guy I would want my sons to learn from about the media business. Tony is also the sort of guy I would like my daughters, when they have the gumption too, to bring home to meet momma and daddy.
It will be great to see Tony again this weekend when the Texans come to St. Louis to face the Rams in a preseason game at the Edward Jones Dome on Saturday night.
Tony is articulate, clean cut, well spoken, responsible, a real MAN. T-Wyllie, as we like to call him, began his NFL career as an intern with the then Houston Oilers before working as a summer intern with the San Diego Chargers public relations department in 1992. In 1993, Wyllie earned a Super – Bowl ring with the Dallas Cowboys before heading west to Los Angeles to work with the Los Angeles Rams as the assistant director of public relations.
Wyllie became the youngest PR director in the National Football League when the Tennesse Oilers hired him in 1998. In 1999, he earned a championship ring (runner -up thanks too Mike “52” Jones) with the now Tennessee Titans in Super Bowl XXXIV. I remember Wyllie running around looking very odd in Titan gear during that freezing cold week in ‘HOT ATLANTA” because I was used to bugging himTony while he worked for the great Rick Smith here in St. Louis.
Speaking of Smith, he should also be commended because of his vision and commitment to diversity within his departments throughout the years. While here in St. Louis, Smith has had numerous blacks on his staff, Miranda Walker, Mario Wayne, the late William Bryant, Duane Lewis, Artis Twyman, Tony Wyllie, among others.
Tony Wyllie is not only is a great person, but he takes his job very, very seriously. In last year’s Super Bowl between Pittsburgh and Seattle, Tony was seen instructing future Hall of Famer Jerome “The Bus” Bettis off of the field to a National interview waiting on him as soon as the final gun went off. “Come on Jerome, we have an interview to do,” Wyllie said. That’s Tony – he’s all business to the end.
He often mentors youth in his hometown of Houston and here in St. Louis when he can. On three different occasions, Wyllie was part of a staff that has earned the Pete Rozelle award, which is presented annually by the Pro Football Writers of America to the outstanding NFL public relations staff. (Rams 1997, Titans 1999, Texans 2000)
Wyllie was a graduate of Texas Southern University, where he received his degree in journalism. In 2004, Wyllie received TSU’s “Distinguished Alumnus Award”. A native of Brooklyn N.Y., Wyllie should know what hard work is and he never give up attitude that is needed to persevere as an African American in the media business.
While writing this article I was thinking about the sacrifices that Wyllie had to endure to get were he is. The travel, the relocation, the studying, the meetings, the BS.
I admire this young brother. If I know T-Wyllie like I think I do, he has and will continue to open the door for many, many blacks brothers and sisters. To his lovely wife Natasha, you go girl for hooking this brother.
Tony Wyllie has always been a great person, friend, and business associate. More importantly he is a role model for many both young and old. Wyllie is NEVER thinking or coming off as if he were better than the next person and is always trying to accommodate the media – both black and white alike.
Tony welcome back to St. Louis, and good luck in the future!
