After eight years on the job, NFL executive V.P. of football operations Ray Anderson has decided to leave the league office.

The NFL announced the decision on Wednesday. In a release, the league said that Anderson will be pursuing other opportunities.

“I have been involved in many different aspects of the NFL — as an agent, club executive, and league executive,” Anderson said. “I have always enjoyed new challenges and the time is right for me to evolve into the next phase of my career. I appreciate the opportunity Commissioner Goodell gave me and the support I have enjoyed from a great staff.”

Anderson was a central figure in last year’s lockout of game officials. It was believed by some in the wake of the lockout that Anderson would be nudged out of his job. He wasn’t.

In January, word surfaced that Raiders owner Mark Davis possibly would hire Anderson into a “senior executive front office job” in Oakland. At the time, Amy Trask was serving as the team’s CEO. She has since resigned.

It’ll be interesting to see how Anderson’s job is filled. Last year, when we were informed that Anderson would not be fired, we also were told that key management positions no longer will go automatically to “football people” who graduated from other jobs in the football business to significant jobs in the league office. The league could start looking for folks from other industries who have demonstrated the ability to handle high-paying, high-profile, high-power jobs that entail operating under a high-powered microscope.

Whoever gets the job, that person’s first order of business could be to finalize the penalty imposed on the Steelers for coach Mike Tomlin’s sideline side-step right. Anderson made the initial determination regarding the imposition of a $100,000 fine on Tomlin. Eventually, a draft-pick forfeiture or modification will be determined.