Giants are hiring NFL executive Dawn Aponte

New York Jets (1994–2001)
Accountant
New York Jets (2001–2003)
Salary cap analyst and pro personnel assistant
New York Jets (2003–2005)
Manager of football administration
New York Jets (2005)
Senior director of football administration
National Football League (2006–2008)
Vice president of labor finance
Cleveland Browns (2009–2010)
Vice president of football administration
Miami Dolphins (2010–2012)
Senior vice president of football operations
Miami Dolphins (2012–2016)
Executive vice president of football administration
National Football League (2017–present)
Chief administrator of football operations

That Raanan was talking about last week or something else.

Jennifer Garner's character in the 2014 film Draft Day is loosely based on Aponte.

Was during the period that Joe Schoen was there. Dennis Hickey was one of the GM's in Miami during that time as well.

This is Abrams replacement + some additional duties. There's an extensive background in contracts and salary cap here.

In comment 17097646 Eric from BBI said:

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Jennifer Garner's character in the 2014 film Draft Day is loosely based on Aponte.

She had a baby with Kevin Costner?!?

She calls out the names on Day 3 of the Draft

In comment 17097668 Anakim said:

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She calls out the names on Day 3 of the Draft

Now I know why the name was so familiar!

In comment 17097646 Eric from BBI said:

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Jennifer Garner's character in the 2014 film Draft Day is loosely based on Aponte.

‘Come on Tom. Say it with me, you pancake eating motherfucker.’

Interesting hire.

In comment 17097685 SFGFNCGiantsFan said:

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In comment 17097646 Eric from BBI said: Quote: Jennifer Garner's character in the 2014 film Draft Day is loosely based on Aponte. ‘Come on Tom. Say it with me, you pancake eating motherfucker.’

We live in a different world than what we did 30 seconds ago. I want all my picks back and I want David Putney, I need a Kick Returner.

I think Schoen's gone after the draft and she's the GM/Head of Football ops. She interviewed for the Jets GM spot last year.

I would not discount this hire being pushed by the league, similar to George Young was. Goodell was reportedly around the Giants a lot in December.

I'm also wondering if the Harbaugh firing and hiring by the Giants were also part of this "NFL putting their thumb on the scale to jump start the Giants" conspiracy theory I have. With Mara's severe illness, a potential shift in ownership and the Giants being so bad for so long, it made sense for the league to quietly step in and right the ship.

.

In comment 17097703 aimrocky said:

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I think Schoen's gone after the draft and she's the GM/Head of Football ops. She interviewed for the Jets GM spot last year.

She also interviewed for the Chargers GM job the year before with Jim Harbaugh

"Dawn Aponte, the NFL’s chief administrator of football operations for the past nine years, is joining the New York Giants’ front office in a VP role, according to a league source.

Before her latest stint with the league office, Aponte worked in numerous roles for teams across the NFL. She began her career with the New York Jets in 1994, eventually working her way up to senior director of football administration, and also worked in a vice president role for the Cleveland Browns, an executive VP role for the Miami Dolphins. She left the Dolphins in September 2016 to take a job at owner Stephen Ross’s private investment firm, but returned to the NFL the next summer, accepting the administrator of football operations role at Park Avenue.

Aponte interviewed for the Chargers’ general manager opening after the 2023 season."
Link - ( New Window )

Ryan Dunleavy
@rydunleavy
·
6m
#Giants hiring one of most widely respected execs in NFL to the role previously occupied by Kevin Abrams

Art Stapleton
@art_stapleton
I'm told Dawn Aponte's role will be similar to the one vacated by the recent parting of ways with longtime exec Kevin Abrams, per source.

Tisch/Epstein thing and all.

In comment 17097724 FranknWeezer said:

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Tisch/Epstein thing and all.

It's one guy in the organization acting inappropriately.

It's not like the entire Giants org was running Epstein's crime ring.

I assume rational people can see it as an isolated incident involving Tisch and not black-ball the entire org.

In comment 17097724 FranknWeezer said:

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Tisch/Epstein thing and all.

________
Mole

Pat Leonard
@PLeonardNYDN
·
3m
Aponte has been a prominent NFL representative in recent years. Now shifts to the Giants amid a turbulent time for the organization, starting with ownership, as John Harbaugh works to steady the ship

announcing draft picks anymore? Nothing personal, but she sounded like an emotionless robot to me.

Aponte moves in as the Giants’ chief contract negotiator and salary cap strategist.

but my only concern is that I have never been a fan of bringing people in from other crappy organizations. Dolphins, Jets and Browns aren't winning football teams.

FYI
Giants Hire Dawn Aponte as Senior Vice President of Football Operations - ( New Window )

In comment 17097668 Anakim said:
[quote] She calls out the names on Day 3 of the Draft [/quot

LOL

I've only heard good things about her over the years.

In comment 17097750 Eric from BBI said:

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Aponte moves in as the Giants’ chief contract negotiator and salary cap strategist.

If she reports to Harbaugh, that would be very interesting.

possible deal in negotiations with agents. This change may help.

In comment 17097756 nyjuggernaut2 said:

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but my only concern is that I have never been a fan of bringing people in from other crappy organizations. Dolphins, Jets and Browns aren't winning football teams.

That’s my issue don’t know anything about her but jets, browns and dolphins is very uninspiring

This is one of those hires that only makes sense when you understand how modern NFL power structures actually work.

Short version:
Dawn Aponte is not a coach, not a GM, and not a cap nerd. She is an institutional fixer.

Let me unpack what that means in practical terms.

What a “Senior VP of Football Operations” actually does

This role sits above day-to-day coaching and parallel to the GM, not underneath either.

Think of it as the operational spine of the football organization.

Her core responsibilities will likely include:
1. League rules, compliance, and competitive edge

This is Aponte’s real superpower.

At the NFL:

She was Chief Administrator of Football Operations

That means:

interpreting rules

advising teams on gray areas

managing competition committee matters

understanding enforcement before it happens

Translation:

She knows how the league thinks, not just what the rules say.

That helps with:

roster manipulation

IR/return timing

practice squad rules

emergency elevations

injury reporting

discipline issues

draft procedures

waiver timing

trade mechanics

This is “win on the margins” stuff — the Ravens and Patriots live here.

2. Buffer + translator between ownership, GM, and HC

This is huge for the Giants.

Right now you have:

John Mara (ownership)

Joe Schoen (GM)

John Harbaugh (HC)

Aponte becomes:

a neutral adult in the room

someone who speaks all three languages

someone who keeps process clean and documented

She prevents:

power turf wars

miscommunication

emotional decision-making

“who actually decides this?” confusion

That matters because:

Harbaugh has real authority

Schoen is still learning

Mara wants calm and structure

Aponte provides that.

3. Football operations infrastructure (the boring stuff that wins)

This includes:

staffing models

analytics integration

sports science coordination

workflow between departments

scouting / coaching alignment

travel, logistics, scheduling

process audits (“why do we do it this way?”)

This aligns perfectly with what Harbaugh said:

“We’re going to bolster analytics a bit… build out football ops.”

She’s the person who actually executes that.

4. Discipline, investigations, and sensitive issues

This is another quiet but important piece.

Aponte:

has handled league discipline

has handled sensitive player issues

understands PR + league optics

keeps things from exploding into scandals

That’s especially important in:

New York

with a high-profile coach

and an ownership group that hates drama

Why THIS hire matters specifically under Harbaugh

This is not random. This is Ravens/Patriots-style architecture.

Harbaugh’s best years in Baltimore worked because:

Ozzie Newsome / DeCosta handled talent

Harbaugh coached

football ops were clean, professional, disciplined

The Giants historically don’t do this well.
They’ve been:

siloed

tradition-bound

reactive

Aponte modernizes the entire backend without touching the football itself.

That’s exactly how smart orgs evolve without blowing things up.

Why this is NOT a threat to Schoen (but a safety net)

Important point:
This is not a “shadow GM.”

She:

does not pick players

does not run the draft

does not negotiate contracts

does not set roster philosophy

Instead:

she helps Schoen execute better

protects him from league mistakes

professionalizes process around him

For a first-time GM?
That’s a gift.

Bottom line

Dawn Aponte’s job is to:

keep the Giants aligned with league realities

prevent institutional screwups

smooth power dynamics

modernize football operations

quietly make the franchise function like a top-tier org

You won’t hear her name much.
That’s how you’ll know she’s doing it right.

This is a serious, adult, forward-thinking hire — and it fits perfectly with Harbaugh’s arrival.

If you want, next we can:

compare

so please don't feel the need to do it for us.

at least she's not flying the team plane.





relax, it's a joke. I'm sure she's fine. Can't be worse than who she's replacing. Maybe the Giants can catch (or close the gap with) the Eagles in roster/cap management.

In comment 17097814 cokeduplt said:

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In comment 17097756 nyjuggernaut2 said: Quote: but my only concern is that I have never been a fan of bringing people in from other crappy organizations. Dolphins, Jets and Browns aren't winning football teams. That’s my issue don’t know anything about her but jets, browns and dolphins is very uninspiring

+1

This is a huge hire and I hope people fully appreciate how significant it is.

She was extremely high-ranking at the NFL league office (essentially Roger Goodell’s inner circle).

The level of institutional knowledge she brings is enormous.

If I'm Kevin Abrams, I'm sleeping better tonight knowing I was replaced by someone that is in a totally different stratosphere as far as resumes are concerned.

DAWN.

In comment 17097718 Eric from BBI said:

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Giants hiring one of most widely respected execs

(paraphrasing old Ben Kenobi) "Respect. Now there's a term I haven't heard in many an age."

In comment 17097646 Eric from BBI said:

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Jennifer Garner's character in the 2014 film Draft Day is loosely based on Aponte.

I would expect us to draft Vontae no matter what

I’m getting the vibe that this is part of a tidal wave level shift in how the New York Football Giants operate — not seen since George Young was foisted in the Mara brothers.

For the first time since Major Tom was canned I have hopes for our team to actually improve.

I’m truly beginning to believe our days as a league wide joke are ending.

In comment 17097733 Eric from BBI said:

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Pat Leonard @PLeonardNYDN · 3m Aponte has been a prominent NFL representative in recent years. Now shifts to the Giants amid a turbulent time for the organization, starting with ownership, as John Harbaugh works to steady the ship

I'm curious what you find insufferable about that statement? Isn't that 100% accurate? The CEO has a serious cancer fight and the Chairman of the Board is dealing with the exposure of his personal life in the worst possible way.

In comment 17097703 aimrocky said:

Quote:

I think Schoen's gone after the draft and she's the GM/Head of Football ops. She interviewed for the Jets GM spot last year. I would not discount this hire being pushed by the league, similar to George Young was. Goodell was reportedly around the Giants a lot in December. I'm also wondering if the Harbaugh firing and hiring by the Giants were also part of this "NFL putting their thumb on the scale to jump start the Giants" conspiracy theory I have. With Mara's severe illness, a potential shift in ownership and the Giants being so bad for so long, it made sense for the league to quietly step in and right the ship.

That’s some conspiracy theory.

Steve Bisciotti owns the Ravens and his net worth is over 8 billion. If you’ve heard him speak, does he really strike you as a guy who would fire John Harbaugh, just to benefit the Giants and the NFL?

In comment 17098009 Jim in Tampa said:

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In comment 17097703 aimrocky said: Quote: I think Schoen's gone after the draft and she's the GM/Head of Football ops. She interviewed for the Jets GM spot last year. I would not discount this hire being pushed by the league, similar to George Young was. Goodell was reportedly around the Giants a lot in December. I'm also wondering if the Harbaugh firing and hiring by the Giants were also part of this "NFL putting their thumb on the scale to jump start the Giants" conspiracy theory I have. With Mara's severe illness, a potential shift in ownership and the Giants being so bad for so long, it made sense for the league to quietly step in and right the ship. That’s some conspiracy theory. Steve Bisciotti owns the Ravens and his net worth is over 8 billion. If you’ve heard him speak, does he really strike you as a guy who would fire John Harbaugh, just to benefit the Giants and the NFL?

Of course not. It's ridiculous to even discuss it.

In comment 17097983 arniefez said:

Quote:

In comment 17097733 Eric from BBI said: Quote: Pat Leonard @PLeonardNYDN · 3m Aponte has been a prominent NFL representative in recent years. Now shifts to the Giants amid a turbulent time for the organization, starting with ownership, as John Harbaugh works to steady the ship I'm curious what you find insufferable about that statement? Isn't that 100% accurate? The CEO has a serious cancer fight and the Chairman of the Board is dealing with the exposure of his personal life in the worst possible way.

I’ll let Eric speak for himself but for me it’s because the clown Leonard just can’t give us the info? Maybe a little background on her? Everyone on the planet knows what’s going on with ownership. He didn’t need to randomly throw it in there on a tweet about a new hire. But of course, it’s Leonard. So of course he’s going to throw it in there. Because he’s a fucking drama queen.

does she evaluation NFL talent/do scouting? or just do contract negotiation

In comment 17098044 fish3321 said:

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does she evaluation NFL talent/do scouting? or just do contract negotiation

No apparent background in scouting based on resume.

To stadium music/gameday experience/stadium operstions to contracts and salary cap management.

In comment 17097733 Eric from BBI said:

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Pat Leonard @PLeonardNYDN · 3m Aponte has been a prominent NFL representative in recent years. Now shifts to the Giants amid a turbulent time for the organization, starting with ownership, as John Harbaugh works to steady the ship

I dislike Pat Leonard more than on the planet earth

In comment 17098081 cjac said:

Quote:

In comment 17097733 Eric from BBI said: Quote: Pat Leonard @PLeonardNYDN · 3m Aponte has been a prominent NFL representative in recent years. Now shifts to the Giants amid a turbulent time for the organization, starting with ownership, as John Harbaugh works to steady the ship

I dislike Pat Leonard more than anyone on the planet earth

(is what i meant)

In comment 17098009 Jim in Tampa said:

Quote:

In comment 17097703 aimrocky said: That’s some conspiracy theory. Steve Bisciotti owns the Ravens and his net worth is over 8 billion. If you’ve heard him speak, does he really strike you as a guy who would fire John Harbaugh, just to benefit the Giants and the NFL?

No, I don’t think it went down as straight forward as you outlined. A few podcasts have hinted that Harbaugh’s exit from Baltimore had developed over the last few weeks of the season. I think the NFL helped connect some dots with the Giants once that relationship started going south.

In comment 17097777 BJacobs The Tiptoe Bandit said:

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I've only heard good things about her over the years.

I've heard her name for years. I used to listen to podcasts all day every day (back before the Giants became trash losers) and have honestly ... heard mixed responses about her.

I think I remember some Dolphins fans not to pleased with her and her pushing around people and wanting control behind the scenes. This wasn't something mainstream media would ever cover but I remember some people down in Miami not being a fan of hers. Other than that, she's wonderful!

Like I said, once the Giants start winning I will amp up my efforts some more.

- Arrogant man

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We all know how to use Chat GPT Mike from SI : 2:36 pm : link so please don't feel the need to do it for us.

Really? There's ZERO evidence of that in all the hand-wringing, pearl-clutching, uninformed posts I see every day in EVERY thread on BBI. 😆

Being a Giants fan is an ongoing social experiment in chaos management. Every season starts with cautious optimism, immediately followed by confusion, emotional whiplash, and a strange sense of loyalty that survives purely out of spite. You learn to celebrate meaningless wins, argue about quarterbacks like it is philosophy, and treat organizational dysfunction as a familiar roommate you never kick out. Hope is never gone, it is just delayed, rescheduled, and occasionally held hostage. Chaos is not a phase, it is the brand.

great.

On-field with John Harbaugh and his changes

In the front office with Dawn Aponte coming in, Abrams departure etc.

We are in the early days of a seismic transformation at NYG.

In comment 17097686 Optimus-NY said:

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Interesting hire.

Agreed. I love this hire.

No idea what she’ll be doing, but wouldn’t be shocked if she has the GM or AGM title at some point in the not too distant future

.