New York Jets Could Make Glass Ceiling-Shattering Hire at General Manager

With the New York Jets reaching into their past for help with their search for a new general manager, there is another connection that could be history-making.

Aug 17, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; New York Jets helmets during the second half against the Carolina Panthers at Bank of America Stadium. / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

With the New York Jets deciding to work with The 33rd Team to help with the search for their new general manager, owner Woody Johnson is partnering with a former Jets general manager in Mike Tannenbaum.

Tannenbaum, who helps run The 33rd Team, spent nearly 20 years with the Jets, working his way to general manager. He and Johnson have a long-standing relationship.

Now, Tannenbaum can help Johnson and the Jets set a new course at general manager, and that course has the potential to be groundbreaking.

Shortly after the Jets made the announcement, speculation centered around a number of names that the organization could pursue. One name is familiar to the Jets, Johnson and Tannenbaum — Dawn Aponte.

Aponte has been the chief administrator of football operations for the NFL since 2017, making her one of the highest-ranking women in professional football.

But she got her start with the Jets in 1994 as an accountant, doing that job while still taking classes at Delaware. She later got an MBA from Wagner and graduated from New York Law School. Concurrently, she became the Jets’ salary cap analyst and pro personnel assistant in 2001, manager of football administration in 2003 and senior director of football administration in 2005.

After three years working with the NFL as its vice president of labor finance, she joined the Cleveland Browns in 2009 as its vice president of football administration. In 2010, she joined the Miami Dolphins as their senior vice president of football operations and in 2012 was promoted to executive vice president of football operations. During that stint she worked for Tannenbaum.

The NFL has never had a female general manager since Susan Tose Spencer was the GM for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1983-85, working for her father’s ownership group.

Amy Trask ran the Raiders as its CEO under the ownership of Al Davis, but only ran the team’s business operations. In late 2023 two NFL teams were run by women — the Raiders’ Sandra Douglass Morgan and Kristi Coleman of the Carolina Panthers.

Per USA Today, there were 223 women working in full-time coaching and football operations positions with teams in 2023, which represented an increase of 141% since 2020.

Last year the NFL provided each team a ready list of candidates for various positions, including general manager. Aponte was one of four women on the list.

The Los Angeles Chargers interviewed Aponte for their GM position before they hired former Baltimore Ravens executive Joe Horvitz.

Aponte brings a wealth of experience, but in pro football and with the Jets — and gives the franchise an opportunity to do something groundbreaking.