Dawn Aponte, Chief Football Administrative Officer with the NFL, announces a fourth round draft pick selection during the 2023 NFL Draft at Union Station on April 29, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.

Dawn Aponte has worked at the NFL offices since 2017. David Eulitt / Getty Images

Feb. 4, 2026Updated 12:35 pm EST

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 held numerous roles with 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.

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Feb 4, 2026

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