USA FOOTBALL HIRES CALLIE BROWNSON TO LEAD U.S. NATIONAL TEAM OPERATIONS

Barrier-breaking NFL and U.S. National Team coach named Senior Director, High Performance & National Team Operations as flag football set to make Olympic debut in 2028 

INDIANAPOLIS, IND. – Callie Brownson, who has been part of the Cleveland Browns coaching staff since 2020, has joined USA Football as Senior Director of High Performance & National Team Operations. She becomes a critical part of the staff responsible for selecting, training and leading the U.S. Men’s and Women’s National Teams that represent the United States on the world’s stage, including when flag football makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in 2028.  

Brownson has a long history with USA Football, the sport’s governing body responsible for the U.S. National Teams in tackle and flag football. Her hiring further positions USA Football and the world champion U.S. National Teams for success as the countdown to the next Summer Olympics continues.  

“USA Football is thrilled to welcome Callie Brownson to our staff as our Senior Director of High Performance & National Team Operations,” said USA Football CEO Scott Hallenbeck. “Callie has been part of the USA Football family for many years, and her leadership, athlete development and program building skills as part of our U.S. National Teams have consistently stood out throughout the past decade. Her expertise and experience across all levels of the sport, along with her understanding of the aspects of competition, team dynamics and logistics unique to the international game, will be invaluable as football enters the most internationally competitive period in the sport’s history.” 

In her new role, Brownson will oversee the operational execution of USA Football's U.S. National Team program and the implementation of the program’s long-term strategic plan.  

“I’m thankful for the opportunity to join USA Football and help the U.S. National Teams continue their international success in flag and tackle football through the 2028 Olympics and beyond,” said Brownson. “This is a historic time for football’s global growth with the Olympics on the horizon. I’m thrilled to be part of what USA Football is building as we look to uphold our standard against improving competition across the world.” 

“Callie has been a valuable member of our coaching staff for the last five seasons, and it’s been rewarding to see her growth,” said Cleveland Browns Head Coach Kevin Stefanski. “We appreciate her many contributions to our team and look forward to seeing her continue to serve and grow our sport at USA Football.” 

In 2018, Brownson became the first woman to coach full-time in Division I college football after she accepted a position as an offensive quality control coach for Dartmouth College under head coach Buddy Teevens. In 2019, she interned with the Buffalo Bills before accepting a full-time position on Sean McDermott's staff. 

Brownson joined the Browns in 2020 as Chief of Staff. That year, she became the first woman to coach an NFL position group in a regular season game when she served as the team's tight ends coach during a Week 12 win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. She most recently served as the Browns Assistant Wide Receivers Coach.  

Brownson won gold medals at the International Federation of American Football’s (IFAF) Women's World Championships in Vantaa, Finland in 2013 and Vancouver, Canada in 2017 as a member of the Women's U.S. Tackle National Team. Brownson served as the head coach of the 2022 Women's U.S. Tackle National Team that won the program’s fourth consecutive world championship.  

Brownson is a native of Alexandria, Va. and holds a bachelor’s degree in sport management from George Mason University. She competed in women’s tackle football with the Women's Football Alliance’s D.C. Divas from 2010-17. The Divas won two championships during Brownson’s career. She served as a team captain five times and earned All-American honors in four seasons.  

About USA Football: USA Football is the governing body of American Football in the United States. As a Recognized Sports Organization of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the sole U.S. member of the International Federation of American Football, USA Football selects, trains and leads the U.S. National Teams in tackle and flag football disciplines, while delivering world-class football development resources, sport standards and competitive opportunities to empower athletes at every level. USA Football is committed to ensuring every athlete has access to develop and compete in the game through safer, inclusive and innovative pathways.