Hearing Officers. For appeals under Section 1(a) above, the Commissioner shall, after consultation with the Executive Director of the NFLPA, appoint one or more designees to serve as hearing officers. For appeals under Section 1(b) above, the parties shall, on an annual basis, jointly select two (2) or more designees to serve as hearing officers. For hearings under Section 1(e)(i) above, the Disciplinary Officer shall serve as the hearing officer. The salary and reasonable expenses for the services of the Disciplinary Officer and the designees referenced in this section shall be shared equally by the NFL and the NFLPA. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Commissioner may serve as hearing officer in any appeal under Section 1(a) of this Article at his discretion. In no event will the Commissioner serve as hearing officer in hearings under Section 1(e)(i).