The NFL is set to hire DAWN APONTE as Chief Football Administrative Officer, a new position that reports to Exec VP/Football Operations TROY VINCENT, a source close to the NFL said. Aponte most recently had been overseeing the Drone Racing League for Dolphins Owner STEPHEN ROSS' RSE Ventures, but from '10-16, she was Dolphins Exec VP/Football Administration. She also spent '09 as VP/Football Administration for the Browns following three years at the NFL, where she served on the league’s Management Council as VP/Labor Finance. Prior to joining the league office, Aponte worked for the Jets for nearly 15 years, most recently as Senior Dir of Football Administration. At the NFL, she will work closely with league staff and clubs on football related matters, the source said. At the Dolphins she had been the team’s chief contract negotiator and responsible for overseeing management of the football business and administration operations. When she left for the DRL last September, she had 25 years of NFL experience and was considered the top woman in football administration in the NFL. As it turns out, her departure from the space lasted less than a year (Daniel Kaplan, Staff Writer). THE MMQB's Peter King writes the NFL "made a really good hire" with Aponte. One front-office official said, "She should be a GM." Aponte has been a "strong negotiator" and is "strong-willed and very smart." King writes it will be "interesting to see her fate" working with Vincent in the league office in the near future -- and "whether a team would at least interview her for a GM opening" (MMQB.SI.com, 6/12).
