Patriots make historic hire: Maya Ana Callender first female scout in franchise’s 64 years, per report

The New England Patriots’ maximum notable acquisition this week would possibly not play a down for the workforce in 2023. Instead, she’s going to make historical past because the first female scout in the 64 years of the franchise.

Maya Ana Callender, who not too long ago served as Princeton’s director of soccer operations, has been added to the Patriots’ scouting division, per ESPN. A 2016 graduate of Utica College, Callender’s first NFL enjoy got here all over a 2021 fellowship with the Philadelphia Eagles. 

Callender’s function at Princeton higher following her Eagles fellowship. Along along with her standard roles that incorporated the workforce’s touring lodging and assembly schedules, Callender took on a bigger function in scouting. 

“She was able to carve out time almost every day to practice the craft of evaluating,” Princeton trainer Bob Surace informed ESPN. “She would take a look at NFL games, review gamers and be informed scout-speak — the language of speaking about someone’s achieve, duration, manufacturing, how they use their arms. … She would have a pad out at our practices, taking notes.

“She became our pro/NFL liaison, so every time a scout came in — which was probably 50 times last year, every team came in at least once — she set them up. She talked about the players, their injury histories, how she had evaluated their performances. Then, by the time the scouts got to me, they didn’t have a lot of questions. I was kind of irrelevant on that, which was a new thing for me. She was terrific.”

Callender will now get an opportunity to be informed from arguably the best trainer in NFL historical past in Bill Belichick, who’s embarking on his twenty fourth season season because the Patriots’ head trainer. Like Callender, Belichick broke into the NFL by means of operating an entry-level place. He was once the Colts’ particular assistant in 1975 prior to turning into the Lions’ assistant particular groups trainer in 1976. He were given his giant wreck in 1985 when then-Giants trainer Bill Parcells promoted him to defensive coordinator. The leisure, as they are saying, is historical past. 

Along with groups having extra ladies on personnel (there have been six ladies who had been full-time coaches all over the 2022 season), the full share of girls in the NFL’s entrance place of work is at an all-time top. USA Today reported this past November that 41.3% of the league’s more than a few positions had been held by means of ladies. 

“It’s great to see more women in these roles,” mentioned Katie Sylvan, the Chargers’ director of soccer management. “There have been women in these roles before me and there will definitely be women in these roles after me. I think that’s really the most important thing is that people understand that these opportunities exist and are out there if it’s something they’re interested in doing and pursuing.”