Latest rumors confirm NY Jets may shatter glass ceiling with GM hire

The NY Jets are looking for a new general manager after firing Joe Douglas amid six consecutive losing seasons. Douglas came to town with tons of hype after coming to town from two different winning organizations in the Ravens and Eagles, but he couldn't bring the Jets back to the postseason.

The Jets' GM search, which is now being aided by former executives Mike Tannenbaum and Rick Spielman, will likely consist of identifying either former GMs who are deserving of a second chance or promising No. 2s with successful organizations who would like a chance to run things their way.

The Jets have tried that multiple times, however, and Douglas, Mike Maccagnan, and John Idzik have all failed miserably. Going unconventional might be what the Jets need, and they could be headed down that path.

Per CBS Sports, Dawn Aponte, who currently serves as the chief administrator of football operations for the NFL, has been connected to the Jets' GM opening. If hired, Aponte would become the first woman to become GM of an NFL team and the second female GM in the four major North American sports leagues after former Miami Marlins maestro Kim Ng.

Jets could hire NFL administrator Dawn Aponte to be next GM

Aponte, who had interviewed for the Los Angeles Chargers GM job last season, grew up on Staten Island and attended both Wagner College and New York Law School. Aponte worked for the Jets for 11 years between 1994 and 2005, starting as an accountant and working her way up to senior director of football operations in 2005.

After three seasons working for the NFL directly and one year with the Browns, Aponte worked for the Miami Dolphins for six seasons as both senior vice president of football operations and executive vice president of football administration. After some success in Miami, she started working with the NFL as chief administrator of football operations in 2017.

Aponte may be unconventional for reasons not related to her gender identity, as she does not come directly from a personnel role with another NFL organization. However, she has been in the league for almost 30 years, is viewed with immense respect around it, and will likely garner more GM interest outside of the Jets.

Every male general manager the Jets have hired during their playoff drought has crashed and burned. Why not try something new with Aponte, who could be the executive that finally gets the Jets back to the playoffs?

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