Who is Kelly Kleine? Denver Broncos hire new Director of Operations
The Denver Broncos hired Kelly Kleine as their new Director of Operations and Special Advisor to General Manager George Paton. Before being hired by the Broncos, Kleine worked for the Minnesota Vikings for ten years. Kleine and Paton have reunited at the Broncos, as the duo worked together at Minnesota as well. Kleine is now the highest-ranked woman ever in the NFL scouting division.
As Director of Operations, Kleine will be involved in everyday administration duties with the team. She will also be the head of scouting operations at the Broncos Organization. This includes preparing for the NFL Draft with college scouting and the free agency market with pro scouting.
GM George Paton has full faith in Kelly Kleine
Kelly Kleine, a Minnesota native, graduated from the University of Minnesota and started as a Public Relations Intern with the Minnesota Vikings. The person who was the scouting intern at the time, left without notice and suddenly Kleine found herself as a Scouting Administration Intern at Minnesota.
This position change led to a new career path for Kleine. She quickly learned about the football operations and scouting departments, something she hadn't been exposed to before. After her internship, she was hired as a scouting assistant for the Vikings in 2014.
From 2015-2018 Kelly Kleine was the Vikings College Scouting Coordinator, which had her heavily involved with the NFL Draft process. She continued to show her passion and knowledge for football scouting and received another promotion.
Kleine most recently spent time as the Manager of Player Personnel and as a College Scout for the Minnesota Vikings. Her scouting regions included North Dakota, South Dakota and Minnesota. Her responsibilities included scheduling visits for draftees and being the Minnesota Vikings' point-of-contact for other scouts.
Now, at her new position with the Broncos, Kleine will use all of the knowledge she has gained over the years with the Vikings. Having worked with Kleine, George Paton's confidence in hiring her was never in doubt. He stated:
"Having worked with her for nine years in Minnesota, Kelly has a strong understanding of all aspects of football operations and player evaluation along with outstanding leadership qualities. She will be a tremendous resource with her experience on the pro and college sides as well as her knowledge of our grading scale and football calendar."
Before her time with the Minnesota Vikings, Kleine worked with the PGA Championship and the University of Minnesota.
Kelly Kleine is an advocate for fellow women in the sports industry. She was a member of WISE (Women In Sports and Events), the Twin Cities division. Kleine also attends the Annual Women's Careers in Football Forum, where she has been speaking for several years.