Making her second ever appearance on Pro Football Rumors, Broncos executive Kelly Kleine Van Calligan has reportedly been interviewed as a candidate for the Raiders‘ open general manager position, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Klein Van Calligan joins a current list of six other candidates who have interviewed or are expected to interview for the position soon.
Kleine Van Calligan, who currently serves in Denver as the team’s executive director of football operations/special advisor to the general manager, would be the second woman to ever be interviewed for a general manager job. Catherine Raiche, currently the Browns assistant general manager and vice president of football operations, is believed to have been the first two years ago when she interviewed for the Vikings’ position that went to Kwesi Adofo-Mensah. Raiche, in her current position, ranks as the NFL’s highest-ranking female executive.
Kleine Van Calligan began her sports career journey as communications intern for the Golden Gophers in Minnesota before landing a public relations internship with the Vikings. She was able to work her way into a scouting administration internship with the team in 2013, rising through the ranks to become the team’s college scouting coordinator just two years later.
After nine years with the Vikings, Kleine Van Calligan was offered an opportunity to report directly to new Broncos general manager George Paton in Denver. Having just completed her 12th season in the NFL, Kleine Van Calligan is a top executive dealing with the Broncos’ football operations and still holds significant responsibilities in both pro and college scouting.
Kleine Van Calligan faces some stiff competition on the road to becoming the first female general manager in the NFL. Right now, her competition includes two current assistant general managers, a former NFL general manager, and the Raiders’ current interim general manager. It’s a big deal for her to receive this level of interest and likely points to much bigger things down the road, if she doesn’t end up getting the job.
It’s important, also, to note that this should be considered genuine interest in Kleine Van Calligan. Many might be quick to dismiss the move as the checking of a box for the NFL’s Rooney Rule requirements that a team must interview at least two external candidates that are either a minority or a female, but the team has already requested interviews with two minority candidates in Cincinnati’s Trey Brown and Buffalo’s Terrance Gray. Kleine Van Calligan is the first to complete her interview of the three, but the team likely wouldn’t have needed her in order to comply with the Rooney Rule.