How one Bears assistant is shattering historic barriers in the NFL
The Chicago Bears culture is changing in more ways than one. Not only is the team undergoing a facelift with its personnel, but general manager Ryan Poles is restructuring the franchise’s foundation inside the walls of Halas Hall as well. In the 2021 offseason, Chicago hired its first full-time female scout in franchise history in […]
The Chicago Bears culture is changing in more ways than one. Not only is the team undergoing a facelift with its personnel, but general manager Ryan Poles is restructuring the franchise’s foundation inside the walls of Halas Hall as well.
In the 2021 offseason, Chicago hired its first full-time female scout in franchise history in Ashton Washington. Working diligently in the player personnel department, Washington received a promotion to become the Bears’ Player Personnel Director.
Washington, 26, has been around football her whole life. In fact, Washington’s ties to the Bears date back to Lovie Smith’s days at Illinois where she served as the director of high school operations.
Washington also worked as the director of recruiting operations and creative content at Texas Tech prior to her arrival in the Windy City.
She is breaking barriers in a sport that has been historically dominated by men. Washington sat down with Fox 32 Chicago’s Cassie Carlton to share her journey to the highly coveted position she currently serves with the Bears.
“We’re working on the free agency end whether that’s travel, making sure these players are situated once they get here and just kind of working collectively as a team. At the same time, on the college side, it’s thirty visit time, and local visits, and local Pro Day. So it’s always having that two-dimensional lens to both sides.”
Washington’s love for football dates all the way back to her childhood. One NFL connection comes in the form of her cousin Joshua Dobbs, who recently signed with the Cleveland Browns.
“Just being around it 24/7. Family dad, brother, cousins – I’ve always been the only girl in the house, besides mom of course. That’s why I can hang with the boys.”
Washington was recently listed in an article on NFL.com highlighting the 15 women who are changing the game.
Washington looks up to other women working in the NFL, who she mentions have helped her out along the way. Her face lights up when discussing Titans defensive quality control coach Lori Locust, Commanders assistant running backs coach Jennifer King and Browns assistant wide receivers coach Callie Brownson.
“I love them. All three have welcomed me, they’ve reached out, I reach out to them. It’s definitely that pipeline, it’s a sisterhood and it plays in the part of that forward progress.”
