Jay Zygmunt

{{Short description|American football executive}}

{{Infobox NFL biography

| name = Jay Zygmunt

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| birth_date = {{Birth month and age|1952|7|}}

| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

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| pastexecutive =

• Los Angeles/St. Louis Rams ({{NFL Year|1982|2008}})
• General counsel ({{NFL Year|1982|1987}})
• Vice president ({{NFL Year|1988|1990}})
• Senior vice president ({{NFL Year|1991|1995}})
• Executive vice president ({{NFL Year|1996|2003}})
• President of Football Operations ({{NFL Year|2000|2005}})
• General manager/President of Football Operations ({{NFL Year|2006|2008}})

| pastadmin =

| highlights =

• Super Bowl champion (XXXIV)

| pfrexec = ZygmJa0

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Jay A. Zygmunt (born July 1952) is a former American football executive. He served as the general manager of the St. Louis Rams from {{NFL Year|2006}} to {{NFL Year|2008}}, in addition to various other roles between {{NFL Year|1982}} and {{NFL Year|2005}}.

A native of Chicago, Illinois, Zygmunt was hired by the Los Angeles Rams in {{NFL Year|1982}} as a general counsel.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90668140/st-louis-post-dispatch/|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 23, 2008|title=Zygmunt leaves after 27 years with the Rams}} {{Open Access}} He was promoted to vice president in 1988, senior vice president in 1991, and executive vice president in 1996.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espn.com/nfl/news/story?id=3787779|website=ESPN|title=Rams' president of football operations Zygmunt resigns|date=December 22, 2008}} After the Rams moved to St. Louis in {{NFL Year|1995}}, his main role was negotiating contracts and managing salary cap.

In {{NFL Year|1999}}, Zygmunt was given a game ball by coach Dick Vermeil. Vermeil said in an interview, "You know who's got the lousiest job in this building? Jay Zygmunt. I could not do what Jay Zygmunt does, and deal with the agents, and all that kind of stuff. It is tough, much tougher today than it's ever been ... He's had some good opportunities to leave here. He's been here through all these bad years. But he's been here when the Rams were winning. And he wants to see it that way again. You've got to acknowledge and pay respect to people that have that deep commitment. And his commitment is every bit as deep as mine."{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90667449/st-louis-post-dispatch/|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|via=Newspapers.com|author=Thomas, Jim|date=October 5, 1999|title=Vermeil amires Zygmunt's dedication}} {{Open Access}}

After the Rams' Super Bowl XXXIV championship, Zygmunt was promoted to President of Football Operations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90667929/st-louis-post-dispatch/|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|via=Newspapers.com|title=Slide began not long after Super Bowl XXIV title|date=November 4, 2007}} {{Open Access}} In {{NFL Year|2006}}, he became their general manager, succeeding Charley Armey, while retaining his position of President of Football Operations.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90667972/st-louis-post-dispatch/|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|via=Newspapers.com|date=July 26, 2007|title=New title, but same jobs for Zygmunt|author=Thomas, Jim}} {{Open Access}} Though the team compiled an 8–8 record that year, the Rams declined in the following seasons, winning just five of thirty-two games in the next two years.{{Cite web|url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/executives/ZygmJa0.htm|website=Pro-Football-Reference.com|title=Jay Zygmunt Football Executive Record}} He resigned following a 2–14 record in {{NFL Year|2008}}.{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90668058/st-louis-post-dispatch/|newspaper=St. Louis Post-Dispatch|via=Newspapers.com|first1=Bryan|last1=Burwell|first2=Jim|last2=Thomas|title=Zygmunt's resignation official|date=December 23, 2008}} {{Open Access}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90668095/st-joseph-news-press/|newspaper=St. Joseph News-Press|via=Newspapers.com|date=December 23, 2008|title=Rams' president of football operations steps down|author=Fallstrom, R. B.}} {{Open Access}}