New York Giants Hire First Full-Time Female Scout In Team History
Hannah Burnett always had her sights set on working in the NFL. At just 25 years old, Burnett’s dream has already turned into a reality, with her making history along the way.
The New York Giants hired Burnett in July 2020 as a full-time scout for its Midlands area. She is the first female scout in the team’s 95-year existence.
Burnett is a Long Island native, and studied sports management at the University of Massachusetts where she was also a four-year player and captain for the women’s lacrosse team. Even on the personal Q&A section of her UMass Lacrosse bio page, Burnett stated that she wanted to pursue “working in player personnel for the NFL” after college.
She began her NFL career with the Buffalo Bills as an events operations intern while she was still in college, and was with the team during training camp and preseason. Upon graduation, she interned with the NFL front office as a player personnel intern, and was promoted to a player personnel assistant after two months. Scott Pioli, the former assistant GM for the Atlanta Falcons, hired Burnett as a scouting coordinator in 2018.
“I played sports forever, ever since I can remember,” Burnett said. “To be able to be part of a team again that’s working toward one common goal is what I’ve been doing my whole life. I’ve always been a part of a team. It’s helped me transition into the NFL. When I got to UMass and majored in sports management, I knew I wanted to work in sports in some capacity.”
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Being a woman in the male-dominated league doesn’t stop Burnett’s strong ambitions, and she won’t let the media attention faze her from her ultimate goals.
“I completely understand and am aware that this is an awesome opportunity, and it’s important for females in the league,” Burnett said in a statement. “But I’ve said this from the get-go: I just want to go in there like everyone else goes in there and go about my business like a pro. Everything will work itself out if I go about my business the right way.”
While the global pandemic has set a wrench in what Burnett’s scouting duties would typically entail, she’s still making the best out of her current opportunity. While a normal year would be filled with college football practices, school visits, and attending games, Burnett is still kept busy interviewing prospects in her territory over Zoom and burying herself in game film. She’s still living her dream, though.
“I’ve had moments here in my apartment where I’m sitting here watching film and I’ll call my dad,” Burnett, who moved to Kansas City in July, told US Lacrosse Magazine. “I get to watch football for a living. Like, this is my job. This is everything I could ask for.”
Photo Credit: Google Reuse, Instagram
