Former Miami Dolphins Executive makes move to the league offices.

Dawn Aponte is back in the NFL, now working for the league. Nine months after the Miami Dolphins; Executive Vice President of Football Administration left the club to work on Dolphins’ owner Stephen Ross’ venture with the Drone Racing League, Aponte is assuming a newly created position within the NFL’s league offices, being named the Chief Administrator of Football Operations, according to a report from Daniel Kaplan of Sports Business Journal.

Aponte has 25 years of experience within the NFL, working with the Cleveland Browns and New York Jets as well as the Dolphins. She had worked as the Dolphins’ executive vice president of football administration since 2010 before leaving in 2016. She worked as the team’s top contract negotiator and salary cap manger during her time, and he knowledge of the rules and operations of the league were invaluable in Miami’s ability to structure contracts to fit under the salary cap. She has a reputation around the league as one of the top executives - with speculation that she could one day become the league’s first female general manager.

Back in 2014, when the movie Draft Day was released, a report from MMQB indicated that Jennifer Garner’s character in the film was “loosely based” on Aponte.

Aponte’s new role within the league offices will have her directly reporting to the league’s Executive Vice President of Football operations, Troy Vincent.