The Cleveland Browns have not officially announced it, but there is plenty of reporting, including by Tony Grossi that indicates the team is about to hire Catherine Raiche, 33, for a high-ranking executive role in the organization.
NFL trailblazer Catherine Raiche on Browns radar for high-ranking football position. via TLOD https://t.co/u9hAGNcIau
— Tony Grossi (@TonyGrossi) May 4, 2022
Raiche would come to the Browns after serving three seasons, since 2019, with the Philadelphia Eagles in operations, most recently in the 2021 season as Vice President of Football Operations.
She rose through the ranks of the CFL (and briefly in the XFL) where she began the football executive chapter of career in 2015.
1. Non-Sports Background
Raiche was born in Montreal in 1989.
She has an undergraduate legal degree and a Master’s degree in tax.
Most recently, she interviewed for the general manager position with the Minnesota Vikings which ironically went to former Browns’ executive Kwesi Adofo-Mensah.
According to @AdamSchefter, Catherine Raîche, the highest ranking front office woman in the NFL, has been requested to interview for the Vikings.
Raiche is a Montreal native and a former tax lawyer who broke into the business through the Canadian Football League in 2015. pic.twitter.com/cgnyK2Tuxj
— Vincenzo Landino (@vincenzolandino) January 14, 2022
2. Student Of The Game
Raiche told USA Today last year that she is a perennial student of the game of football.
“If you’re a student of the game, you’re a student of the game — regardless of who you are. And that’s who I am. For the longest time, I feel like we’ve picked out of 50% of the pool … but if you open the pool to 100%, you may get really, really qualified candidates.
“I hope we get more and more and more — and not just get them in, but also help them grow.”
"There is no doubt @CatherineRaiche will be a GM in the @NFL, and maybe sooner than later." – @CoachTrestman to @TSNDaveNaylor #NFL #CFL #Browns via @coryworon @SportsCentre
— CFL News (@CFL_News) May 5, 2022
Raiche appears ready to shatter the proverbial glass ceiling and extend a hand to those blazing the path behind her.
3. Worked With Andrew Berry Before
In 2019, Berry was the Vice President of Football Operations for the Philadelphia Eagles and Raiche worked as football operations coordinator.
#Eagles VP of Football Operations Catherine Raiche is joining the #Browns front office with "assistant GM-like responsibilities," per @JoriEpstein. Raiche interviewed for the #Vikings GM job this offseason and has been a fast-riser. She worked with Andrew Berry in Philly in 2019.
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) May 3, 2022
Conclusion
There will be people who try to equate Raiche’s imminent hiring as a quid pro quo for trading for Deshaun Watson.
Elevating a woman high into the same organization that also traded for a high profile quarterback with 22 alleged complaints against him for sexual misconduct are not equal, and one does not reflect in any way on the other.
Raiche has worked hard to get where she is, and her hiring in no way is related to Watson.
Berry worked with her before, and the Browns have a great reputation for hiring women, as evidenced by Callie Bronson’s elevation in the organization.
Browns chief of staff Callie Brownson is making history today.
She’s becoming the first woman to coach an NFL position group, replacing Browns TE coach Drew Petzing, who’s with his wife after they had a child 🙌 @brgridiron pic.twitter.com/UV0cGRtoZ5
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) November 29, 2020
Do not correlate one with the other.
NEXT: 3 Things To Know About Browns TE Marcus Santos-Silva
