The New York Giants have attacked the start of the 2026 offseason in hopes of taking a big step forward when they return to action. After bringing in John Harbaugh to be their new head coach, he has quickly begun assembling his coaching staff in New York, and it’s safe to say things are beginning to come together for him.
While the Giants fired their previous head coach, Brian Daboll, midway through the 2025 campaign, they held onto their general manager, Joe Schoen, which was viewed as a somewhat surprising decision. And yet, while Schoen is still in town, it’s clear things need to change in the front office. As a result, the team made a major move to add a longtime NFL executive, Dawn Aponte, to their front office.
Giants Hire Dawn Aponte to Fill Key Role in Front Office
Aponte has been with the league since 2017 as the chief administrator of football operations. She also has previous experience working on the team side with the Dolphins,
Both Daboll and Schoen were hired in 2022, so many folks assumed that they were tied to each other in New York. While Daboll’s firing wasn’t exactly a surprise, given how poorly the Giants were playing under his watch, he wasn’t exactly the only reason for the team’s woes. Schoen has made several missteps during his time running the front office, but he’s still in town, while Daboll recently accepted the Tennessee Titans‘ offensive coordinator opening.
Some folks wondered whether or not Schoen’s presence would complicate the team’s head coach search, but they still ended up landing arguably the top candidate in this cycle. While Schoen appears to have all the job security in the world, some recent moves by the team indicate that changes will be made at that level of the organization as well in 2026.
The biggest of the bunch is the hiring of Aponte, who has worked for the NFL since 2017 as its chief administrator of football operations. Aponte has previously spent time working for the New York Jets, Cleveland Browns, and Miami Dolphins, and it appears she will be returning to the team side of the spot, as she was hired by the Giants to be their new senior vice president of football operations.
“Giants are hiring NFL executive Dawn Aponte as Sr VP in football operations, per Jordan Raanan and me,” Adam Schefter of ESPN reported in a post on X. “Aponte has been with the league since 2017 as the chief administrator of football operations. She also has previous experience working on the team side with the Dolphins, Browns and Jets.”
Giants Put Joe Schoen on Notice with Front Office Shakeup
GettyGeneral manager Joe Schoen of the New York Giants speaks to the media during the NFL Scouting Combine at the Indiana Convention Center.
While Schoen may still be the Giants’ general manager, it seems like his margin for error has decreased significantly. Schoen’s mismanagement of Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley’s contract situation hasn’t earned him many fans in New York, and while he appears to have found the team’s quarterback of the future, Jaxson Dart, there are still a lot of question marks surrounding this team that need answers.
This isn’t to say that Aponte is going to steal Schoen’s job, but adding new faces to the front office is a sign that the team knows it has work to do this offseason when it comes to revamping its roster. Adding a trusted new voice to the conversation in Aponte could be a difference-maker, and all eyes will now be on the Giants to see what moves they make over the offseason in an effort to improve their team.
Giants Hire Longtime NFL Executive to Join Their Front Office: Report