Doug Whaley facts for kids
| Born: | December 16, 1972 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
|---|---|
| Career information | |
| College | University of Pittsburgh |
| High school | Upper St. Clair (Upper St. Clair Township, Pennsylvania) |
Douglass G. Whaley (born December 16, 1972) is a professional American football executive. He also used to play football in college. He is currently a senior vice president for the XFL, which is another football league. Before that, from 2013 to 2017, he was the general manager for the Buffalo Bills in the National Football League (NFL).
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Early Life and College Football
Doug Whaley grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He loved football from a young age. He played high school football there. Later, he played college football at the University of Pittsburgh, also known as Pitt. He was a defensive back, which is a player who tries to stop the other team from scoring. During his time at Pitt, he caught four interceptions, which means he caught the ball when the other team's quarterback threw it.
Professional Career
Doug Whaley has had an exciting career in professional football, working for different teams and leagues.
Working with the Pittsburgh Steelers
Whaley started his professional career with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He worked there for 10 years as a "pro personnel coordinator." This job meant he helped find and evaluate professional football players. He worked closely with Kevin Colbert, who was the Director of Football Operations. While with the Steelers, Whaley helped scout and draft talented defensive players. Some of these players include Lamarr Woodley, Troy Polamalu, and Lawrence Timmons.
Time with the Buffalo Bills
On February 10, 2010, Doug Whaley joined the Buffalo Bills. He became the assistant general manager and Director of Pro Personnel. He was in charge of the team's professional player department. He also helped the general manager, Buddy Nix, with all football-related tasks. This included evaluating college players who might join the team.
When Buddy Nix stepped down on May 13, 2013, Whaley became the Bills' general manager just three days later. As general manager, he made some big decisions for the team. One notable move was trading up in the draft to pick receiver Sammy Watkins. Another big trade was sending linebacker Kiko Alonso to another team in exchange for the talented running back LeSean McCoy.
Whaley also helped the Bills owners, Terry and Kim Pegula, and President Russ Brandon, choose a new head coach. They hired Rex Ryan. After Rex Ryan left, Whaley led the search for the next coach, Sean McDermott.
In January 2016, the Bills offered Whaley a contract extension, and he agreed. However, after the 2017 NFL draft, the Bills decided to let Whaley go on April 30, 2017. After leaving the Bills, he spent 2018 working as a recruiter for the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl.
Joining the XFL
On November 8, 2018, Doug Whaley was hired by the XFL. This was a new version of a football league. He became the senior vice president of football operations. However, on April 10, 2020, the XFL stopped its operations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Most of the staff, including Whaley, were laid off.
But Whaley returned to the XFL! On November 8, 2021, he was rehired as the vice president of player personnel for the league. He continues to work in this role, helping to find and manage players for the XFL.
