Notes: The Detroit News profiles Detroit Lions assistant GM Ray Agnew

There are individuals out there that enjoy being recognized for everything that they do. Some find satisfaction in being praised, while others simply are happy when their hard work is noticed or recognized. And to be clear, there isn’t anything wrong with that.

However, if you’re Detroit Lions’ assistant general manager Ray Agnew, you can do without any of the extra stuff. In fact, Agnew is happy to avoid it. Justin Rogers of the Detroit News details the road Agnew took to get where he currently is, why he is ok with being out of the limelight (for now), and why he fits in perfectly with the culture the Lions are building.

Assistant general managers aren’t exactly at the forefront of people’s minds when they think about a team’s front office. But then again, most assistant general managers aren’t as popular as Ray Agnew.

“If you voted in the locker room most well-liked individual, most respected, it would have been Ray Agnew,” former St. Louis Rams coach Mike Martz told the Detroit News. “Everyone loved the guy.”

Prior to being drafted tenth overall in the 1990 NFL draft, Agnew played his college ball at North Carolina State University. After a succesful 11-year playing career, he immediately transitioned to the personnel side of the game, where he has a keen ability to see things in players that aren’t visible to the untrained eye.

“It gives him a leg up on all the other personnel people,” said Martz of Agnew’s abilities. ”Just being in the competitive part of it, watching guys how they played the game.”

This one is well worth the read as Justin gets into Agnew’s impressive playing days, why his words hold so much weight, his eventual goal of becoming a general manager himself, and so much more.

It’ll be good to get to know him a little more, because—as Rogers points out—Agnew will step in front of the podium with Lions GM Brad Holmes on Thursday to discuss the roster cutdowns.

And now, onto the rest of today’s notes:

• Brooke Cersosimo of nfl.com profiles Gina Newell, Senior Director of Football Operations for the Lions, in her next iteration of the “Next Woman Up” series.

• North Carolina A&T, the alma mater of Lions’ general manager Brad Holmes, will be performing at halftime of the home opener against the Philadelphia Eagles on September 11.

Kory Woods of mlive.com offers insight on Holmes’ pride as the Lions’ GM and as a graduate of an HBCU.

• Here is an excellent film thread from Brett Whitefield on newest defensive tackle Benito Jones.