The New York Giants announced two additional key hires to the organization. Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Giants Make Two Key Organizational Hires Official

Originally posted on New York Giants on SI
By Patricia Traina | Last updated Feb 13, 2026 5:15 PM ET

The New York Giants have made the hiring of Dawn Aponte, who has served as the NFL’s chief football administrative officer since 2017, official.

In her new role with the Giants, Aponte will serve as the senior vice president of football operations and strategy.

This role will include strategic planning for football operations, analytics, salary cap management, player contract negotiations, compliance, and working closely with the college and pro personnel departments.

Aponte, who overlapped with current Giants general manager Joe Schoen and assistant director of player personnel Dennis Hickey when all three were with the Dolphins (Aponte during the 2010 to 2016 seasons), is the highest-ranking woman ever hired by the Giants.

During her time at the league, she drove football operations initiatives, facilitated communication and day-to-day operations, and assisted in building relationships with club owners, presidents, and executives.

Aponte was also instrumental in the league's health and safety initiatives.

In addition to her prior stop with the Dolphins, she was previously the vice president of football administration for the Cleveland Browns. She rose from accounting intern to the senior director of football administration for the New York Jets (1991 to 2006).

Aponte, a capologist and CBA expert, also spent three years as vice president of labor finance with the NFL Management Council. She is a CPA and is a member of the New York State Bar.

Adam Bennett named Giants' new head athletic trainer

The New York Giants have hired Adam Bennett as their new head athletic trainer.

Bennett comes to the Giants from the University of Miami, where he served as the head athletic trainer for the Hurricanes since 2023.

Prior to his time at Miami, Bennett worked at Special Operations Command Headquarters at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa, Fla. From 2017 to 2021, he was the head football athletic trainer at Florida Atlantic University.

Bennett also spent time at the University of Minnesota in 2016 as an assistant athletic trainer and as an assistant athletic trainer at FAU in 2015. He served two NFL internships with the Houston Texans in 2011 and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2014.

Bennett graduated from FSU in 2012 with a Bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training. He also earned a Master’s degree in Sports Management from the University of Southern Miss in 2014.

Bennett is a BOC Certified Athletic Trainer, an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and a NSCA Certified Performance Sports Specialist.

Ronnie Barnes, a member of the Giants organization since 1976 and an inductee into the team’s Ring of Honor in 2022, will continue in his role overseeing the team’s medical services, a role he’s held since 1981.

Barnes is currently listed as the Giants Senior Vice President of Medical Services.

The Giants have consistently been among the most injured teams in the NFL. According to Sports Info Solutions, Big Blue players missed a combined 278 games in 2025, making them the fifth most injured team in 2025.

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This article first appeared on New York Giants on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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