Doug Whaley has been busy scouting players for the 2023 XFL season, but it appears now that he might be up for the Pittsburgh Steelers GM opening.
ESPN’s Field Yates reported Saturday afternoon that Doug Whaley is one of three candidates added to the Pittsburgh Steelers general manager interview list. The other three names include former New York Giants general manager Jerry Reese and former Minnesota Vikings general manager Rick Spielman.
Whaley has personal ties to the Pittsburgh Steelers with it being his hometown and working with the organization in the past. He started as an assistant for the Steelers in the personnel department back in 1995. After a short time with the Seattle Seahawks, he rejoined the Steelers in 1999 as their Pro Scouting Coordinator for 11 years.
He would go on to the Buffalo Bills which included him being the general manager of the team from 2013 until 2017. The Bills finished at .500 or better two of the four years that Whaley was the general manager of the football team. Whaley would be fired from the Bills after the 2017 NFL Draft.
After spending time as a recruiter in 2018 for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, the XFL hired Whaley to join their front office as Senior Vice President of Football Operations. Part of his responsiblities for the league was helping the coaches in the league, assisting with football operations, developing new rules, and working on new football technologies.
Whaley was apart of the many XFL employees who lost their jobs after the Covid-19 pandemic playing a role in the league shutting down operations in 2020. last November, he was rehired by the league as Senior Vice President of Player Personnel of the XFL.
In recent months. Whaley has been busy with other personels of the XFL with scouting players for the upcoming 2023 XFL season. He just spent time at Michigan State’s pro day on Wednesday scouting players at the school.
It shouldn’t come as a surprise to many that NFL teams are looking at Whaley for front office roles especially with his background and success scouting in the pros. The XFL has seen first hand the hiddent talent that he was able to help them find for the 2020 season.
Whaley will continue to be discussed for front office and general manager roles in the NFL. For the time being, he appears to be focused on finding the next hidden gems like PJ Walker, Cam Phillips, and Jordan Ta’amu at college pro days.
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