The Commanders are adding a prominent, young executive to their front office, complementing a series of other new hires. With new ownership and a new coaching staff already in place, new general manager Adam Peters is strengthening his team by bringing in Brandon Sosna, as reported by Mike Garafolo of NFL Network.
At 31, Sosna is a rapidly rising figure in the football industry. A UPenn graduate, he started his front office career with the Cincinnati Bearcats. Beginning at his hometown university in 2013, Sosna was promoted to chief of staff of the athletic department within three years. In this role, he oversaw the search process that led to hiring head coach Luke Fickell.
Sosna entered the NFL in 2017 as a football administration intern with the Browns. By the following season, he had advanced to the position of salary cap and contract analyst. After gaining initial NFL experience, Sosna returned to the University of Cincinnati in 2019, where he was appointed senior associate athletic director and chief revenue officer.
Later in 2019, the USC Trojans recruited Sosna, appointing him as executive senior associate athletic director and chief of staff. In Los Angeles, he was regarded as the athletic director’s right-hand man. Sosna played a pivotal role in the search that brought Lincoln Riley on board as the Trojans’ new head coach and was instrumental in the school’s significant move to the Big Ten Conference.
Most recently, the allure of the NFL drew Sosna back, leading him to accept a position as senior director of football administration for the Lions. According to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press, Sosna was the lead negotiator in contract discussions for Detroit. While his exact title in Washington has not been disclosed, his role will be “high-ranking” and is expected to leverage his expertise in contract analysis.
Garafolo also noted that Sosna was not the only candidate interviewed for the position. Jake Rosenberg, the Eagles’ vice president of football administration, was also considered for the role after his contract expired in Philadelphia, allowing him to explore other opportunities. Rosenberg is known for his innovative approach to using void years in contracts to minimize current salary cap burdens, a strategy that has positioned the Eagles as leaders in this area.