The Las Vegas Raiders are making their rounds in looking for a new general manager after the in-season firing of Dave Ziegler.
While interim general manager Champ Kelly is a legitimate candidate for the full-time job, the team is looking outside of the organization.
Per Tom Pelissero of NFL Media, that now includes interviewing Denver Broncos front office executive Kelly Kleine Van Calligan for the opening.
Van Calligan has spent the past three seasons with the Broncos organization. Her current title is as the Broncos’ executive director of football operations/special advisor to the general manager. Overall, she has spent 12 seasons in the NFL. That included a nine-year stint with the Minnesota Vikings when current Broncos general manager George Paton was with the organization.
Related: Identifying top Las Vegas Raiders general manager candidates 2024
In addition to looking for a new general manager, the Raiders are engaging in a search for a new head coach. Interim guy Antonio Pierce is seen as a top candidate with Michigan’s Jim Harbaugh.
It must be noted that the Raiders need to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule. Interviewing Kelly Kleine Van Calligan for the vacant GM opening does that. Though, it will be interesting to see if anything more comes of this.
As we’re sure you know, the Raiders’ organization is known for making historic hires. That includes hiring the first Latino head coach (Tom Flores), first black head coach (Art Shell) and first female front office head (Amy Trask). Sandra Douglass Morgan currently serves as the Raiders’ team president, too.
If hired, Van Calligan would become the first female general manager in the history of the NFL.