MSU Alum, Key Athletic Department Member to Return to NFL

Dykema had only been in his position since February, when he joined the Spartans after spending 14 consecutive years with the Detroit Lions' front office. He had served as the Lions' director of football compliance/lead football counsel since 2021.

Dykema, a Michigan State alum, stepped into what had been a new position for the Spartans' athletic department. Per his profile page on msuspartans.com, Dykema was tasked with "play(ing) a pivotal role in drafting, managing and negotiating contracts for Athletics, including, but not limited to, contracts related to sponsorships; commercial partnerships; name, image and likeness (NIL) activities; media rights and employee contracts."

While his stint in the athletic department was brief, Dykema has quite a history with Michigan State, and not just as a student. He was a four-year student manager for Michigan State's basketball team during its golden era in the early 2000s. He was part of the 2000 national title team, back-to-back Final Four appearances and two Big Ten titles.

Dykema graduated in 2003 and went on to serve as an intern for the Lions for a year. Just a few years later, he became the University of Utah's director of men's basketball operations.

"I'm thrilled to be returning to the place where my career in athletics administration began," Dykema had said in a statement when he was hired by the university in February. "I'm very excited to start working with the coaches, staff and student-athletes across multiple sports at Michigan State, especially Coach (Tom) Izzo who has been a big supporter of mine since I was a student manager for the basketball program."

The opportunity was short-lived, but Dykema has a new opportunity to continue to make his alma mater proud in the NFL once again.

Dykema will be joining a new regime in Jacksonville, an organization that just landed the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, Travis Hunter, and is looking to turn things around under its new general manager, James Gladstone, and head coach. Liam Coen.

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