ASHBURN, Va. (AP) — The Washington Commanders hired Dave Gardi as senior vice president of football initiatives on Monday, bringing a respected member of the NFL office into the fold as part of their new-look front office.

Gardi spent 21 years working for the league, including the past 10 as senior VP of football operations. His responsibilities with the Commanders are expected to range from in-game management to compliance with league protocols, officiating trends and safety guidelines.

“Dave has been one of the most highly regarded executives at the NFL league office and is someone with an immense knowledge of the game,” new general manager Adam Peters said in a statement. “He will be an invaluable resource to our front office as we continue to usher in a new era of Washington Commanders football.”

Gardi at the NFL played a role in developing competitive balance and integrity policies and procedures and helped oversee rules administration on game days.

“Dave Gardi is one of the brightest minds in our league when it comes to football operations,” coach Dan Quinn said. “His addition makes our organization better across the board.”

A Sayville, New York, native, Gardi played four years as a quarterback at Brown in the late 1980s and early ’90s and got a law degree from Hofstra.

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