Savage Introduced as Executive Director

MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) - The Phil Savage era is underway at the Senior Bowl.  Savage was formally introduced as the fifth executive director in the game’s 62-year history at a press conference Wednesday afternoon at the Battle House Hotel in downtown Mobile.  He’ll officially assume his duties on June 1.  The Mobile native and former NFL front office executive expressed his excitement for his new role in his hometown while meeting with the media Wednesday.

“It’s a rare opportunity where you have a choice to leave one situation for another great situation,” Savage said.  “It doesn’t happen very much in the NFL, usually they tell you when you have to leave.  This time I got a chance to call (Eagles GM) Howie (Roseman) and say: ‘This is what I plan on doing and these are the reasons why’, and I think he absolutely understands one thousand percent why I would leave the Eagles to come back home to the Senior Bowl.  It’s just too good of an opportunity, too good of a situation to pass up.”

Savage, 47, takes over the reins of the nation’s premier senior showcase event after spending the last two years serving as a player personnel executive with the Philadelphia Eagles.  He has a total of 19 years of experience in the National Football League as a scout, coach and general manager.  A background that he plans on using for the betterment of the game.

“The Senior Bowl is a nugget on the timeline of the NFL and the draft process.  I think we can expand that nugget, I think we can turn it into a golden nugget, in terms of starting in mid-August and do some things that are going to promote the game all the way until that last week in January and then even after it.”

Savage, a graduate of Murphy High in Mobile, is also no stranger to the college game having coached at the University of Alabama and UCLA early in his career.  He currently serves as the color commentator on the University of Alabama football radio broadcasts and will continue to do so in addition to fulfilling his duties with the Senior Bowl.

“We’ve been doing it (the radio) really for the last two and a half years.  I don’t think it’s going to be a problem.  If anything we’re always going to put an emphasis on in-state players so Auburn people won’t have to worry about any of their players being skipped over.”

Savage outlined his vision for the future of the Senior Bowl Wednesday.  The game has sold out 17 of the last 18 years and annually features the top senior NFL draft prospects, but the former Cleveland Browns general manager sees an opportunity to expand the game’s involvement in the local community. 

“Mobile is not a baseball town anymore, it’s a football town.  And when you think of Mark Barron going in the top ten the other day from Alabama to Tampa Bay.  Nick Fairley from Williamson High School to Auburn to Detroit in the top 15.  There have got to be other kids in this city in the fourth, fifth sixth grade that have that same type of potential and we want to help them stay the course and give them an opportunity, maybe not become a number one draft choice, but to maybe go to a college and play and get an education.  And I think if we can do that then the Senior Bowl will have really done its job.”

Savage’s hiring drew widespread praise from NFL general managers, college head coaches and NFL draft experts alike Tuesday.  Many agree that his NFL background, college connections and the fact that he’s from the area make this hire a perfect fit. 

“Phil obviously understands how important the Senior Bowl is to the Mobile community.  Phil knows football and the type of players to make this game successful.  He has the respect of every NFL team and colleges throughout the country,” Baltimore Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome said.

“Phil is a natural for the position.  He combines the knowledge of an NFL general manager with a home-grown respect for the history and traditions of the Senior Bowl,” NFL Network analyst Mike Mayock said.

“Every time I come into Mobile, the first thing that I think of is what a great place for the Senior Bowl and what a great relationship the Senior Bowl has with the NFL and the NFL has with Mobile,”  Alabama head coach Nick Saban said. “Phil Savage is going to be a great leader for this organization. He’s tied to the community and he has a great background in the NFL and expertise being a general manager. I have tremendous respect for Phil, his work ethic and the great job that he’ll do for the Senior Bowl.”

-- Senior Bowl media services