A.J. Edds

A.J. Edds is the Big Ten Conference's Vice President, football operations, moving into that position in July 2022, after previously serving as the conference’s assistant director (and later associate director), sports administration since arriving at the conference in October 2017. In his present capacity, Edds oversees the day-to-day operations associated with Big Ten football, as well as coordinating relationships with the conference's numerous bowl partners. During his initial tenure at the Big Ten in the sports administration department, Edds served as a sport liaison, oversees the Olympic sport officiating program and was also a liaison to the Big Ten Sports Management Committee. Prior to joining the Big Ten, Edds worked as a regional manager at Rocksolid, LLC, in Chicago. A former Big Ten student-athlete, Edds was a three-year starter at linebacker for the Iowa Hawkeyes and earned Academic All-Big Ten honors on three occasions. As a senior in 2009, Edds was named second-team All-Big Ten and served as a team captain on a Hawkeyes team that finished the year No. 7 overall in the Associated Press poll and earned a trip to the Orange Bowl. Following his collegiate playing career, Edds was selected by the Miami Dolphins in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He went on to play in the NFL from 2010-15, spending time with the Dolphins, Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, New York Jets and Jacksonville Jaguars. Edds graduated from the University of Iowa in 2010 with a degree in management and organizations. In 2019, he earned a master’s degree in sports administration from Northwestern University. Edds is the son of Anne and David.