BUFFALO, NY - When former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll became head coach of the New York Giants this year, Ashley Lynn MSA ’07 was among the first team directors he met. Same with former Bills players Tyrod Taylor, Robert Foster and Jon Feliciano who have also joined the Giants this season.
As director of player engagement for the Giants, Lynn – the first woman in franchise history hired for the position – works to help players and staff navigate life in the NFL.
Her position could have its own playbook, as she handles multiple responsibilities all aimed at helping the players and coaches off the field.
Lynn may help onboard rookie players who turn pro by providing them with guidance on managing their finances. Or, when a player is traded to the Giants, Lynn is there “to help find housing, schools for children, family doctors” and more she explains. She is also there if a player is injured during a game, communicating with his family and “keeping them up to date on the injury.”
Born in Pasadena, CA, Lynn is no stranger to the NFL. Her father, Johnnie Lynn, played cornerback for the New York Jets in the early 1980s and then went on to a 20-year coaching career. She kicked off her own career in high school when her father was a defensive backs coach with the Giants, and she babysat for players’ children. After earning a degree in communications from Hampton University, Lynn worked in the entertainment industry before looking for a position in the sports world. But she was at a disadvantage.
“About 90 percent of my colleagues in my field have played college or professional football giving them a player’s perspective,” she explains. “That’s not to mention that I am a woman of color trying to break into a sport dominated by men – there were some barriers blocking my career path.”
Lynn decided to further her education to balance her lack of experience on the playing field. After some research, she applied to the college’s online masters of sport administration program. Shortly after she graduated, a coordinator position opened with the Giants and Lynn was hired. She was named assistant director of player engagement in 2014 and director in 2021.
“My Canisius degree has made such a difference – it gave me the added confidence to pursue a career in the NFL,” Lynn concludes. “Professors such as Dr. Shawn O’Rourke gave me the tools I needed. I keep my degree in my office drawer as a personal reminder that I was prepared thanks to Canisius.”
