Chargers News: Bolts Land Interview With NFL Executive For GM Position

The Los Angeles Chargers have completed an interview with Dawn Aponte, the NFL's Chief Football Administrative Officer for their general manager opening, via ESPN's Jeremy Fowler.

Source: The #Chargers are interviewing NFL chief football administrative officer Dawn Aponte for their general manager job.

Aponte has extensive league experience as an executive with three front offices (Dolphins, Jets, Browns).
— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 22, 2024

Aponte comes with almost three decades of experience in the NFL. She began as an accountant for the New York Jets back in 1994, and worked her way up the front office ladder.

She's worked her way to becoming a salary cap analyst, pro personnel assistant, vice president of football administration to now the Chief Football Administrative Officer for the past. Not only has she occupied a variety of front office positions, but for multiple teams including the Jets, Cleveland Browns, Miami Dolphins and the NFL.

If the Chargers were to hire Aponte, she would become just the second female GM in NFL history after Susan Tose Spencer, who was the Philadelphia Eagles GM during the early 1980s. There are several other high-ranking women in various organizations that have either interviewed or earned consideration for GM openings, including Browns assistant GM and VP of football operations Catherine Raiche, who interviewed for the Minnesota Vikings GM opening back in 2022.

Aponte is far from the only person in contention for the Chargers general manager gig. The Chargers have interviewed eight other candidates, including Jeff Ireland, JoJo Wooden, Ed Dodds, Joe Hortiz, Terrance Gray, Brandon Brown, Ian Cunningham and Jeff King. They also requested interviews with Will McCLay and Adam Peters, but McClay opted to stay in Dallas while Peters went to the Washington Commanders.

Whoever the Chargers make their next GM will be taking over for Tom Telesco after his decade-long tenure with the team. They also will be working with the Chargers' next head coach, who the Chargers are still in the process of selecting.