Thursday, Feb. 24, 2022 | 2 a.m.
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Despite public commitments and program initiatives, the NFL is a perfect example of a lot of talk and no action.
Black players make up 70% of the league but until recently, only one Black coach. There have been fewer than 20 Black head coaches in league history.
“Last year, we were talking about the same subject, which I think is part of the frustration that all of us have, ultimately,” NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said. “We’re going to talk to other people, have independent people come in and look and help us evaluate, because it’s sometimes hard to evaluate your own policies and procedures, and make sure that we’re doing everything we possibly can to create that opportunity for everybody.”
Judy Battista of NFL.com says “league executives have done their part. This is a failure of ownership.”
That sounds like passing the buck.
As president of Las Vegas-based FIG Strategy & Consulting, I’m on a mission to help with the NFL’s diversity problem.
The NFL has been all talk and teams haven’t been held accountable. We’ve seen millions spent on community programs and public relations, but they haven’t identified what they aim to correct.
They lack overall strategy. Organizations, their leaders and systemic racism all contribute. Until structural change occurs, the pattern will continue.
What’s it going to take? Black talent refusing to play for entertainment. Imagine if it comes to that.
