SPORTS OPINION
THE NFL NEEDS CHANGE FROM THE INSIDE OUT Sarah Wuh
Jack Birmingham
Liam Foo
color for head coaching and senior operation vacancies. It’s exactly “End Racism”. “Stop Hate”. “It Takes All of Us”. Messages like these the type of rule that is intended to make the NFL a more equitable promoting social justice started appearing on NFL players’ helmets place - yet Flores’ experiences show that some anti-discrimination and in NFL end zones amidst the Black Lives Matter movement rules currently in place aren’t bringing the needed change. following George Floyd’s death in 2020. Flores is the first black coach to file a discrimination lawsuit against These messages parallel the NFL’s “Inspire Change” social justice the NFL. His actions thrust employment practices and underrepinitiative, a widely publicized showcase of the NFL’s actions towards resentation of people of color in NFL management into the light. creating progress for a more equitable future in the U.S. Through Flores made an extremely public television advertisements and somove to stir up conversation and cial media, various NFL members reveal that the NFL is in fact not as are featured telling their stories or perfect as it seems on the outside. showing their involvement in acTherefore, isn’t it ironic that tivist positions. 70 percent of NFL players and coaches are wearing players are black, so it’s inspiring messages like “End Racism” when to see the NFL create change in there are issues deep within the various communities. NFL system that counter those But that’s just the thing. Sevsentiments? Sure, it looks good on enty percent of players are black, the screen, but it feels tinged with yet in management positions, hypocrisy. barely any coaches are black: Only Furthermore, the 2022 Suone head coach is black. Only per Bowl halftime performance four of the 32 teams have a black felt shallow in the face of Flores’ offensive coordinator. Only three discrimination lawsuit. The lineup, quarterback coaches are black. The NFL, one of America’s most beloved sporting organizations, decided in September of 2021, When the camera pans to the has recently been the subject of intense scrutiny and controversy in featured almost exclusively black box seats to the owners of the regards to its efforts to promote racial and social equity. artists like Dr. Dre, Mary J. Blige and teams, only rich, white old men Kendrick Lamar. It was a powerful show up. In fact, only two NFL display of black culture and music. In no way is giving black artists a owners are people of color. platform negative, but it almost felt forced, as if the NFL was trying Some would argue that these figures in themselves don’t necestoo hard to compensate for their shortcomings and bad publicity. sarily mean that systemic racism exists within the NFL. And it is true It should be noted that I LOVE football as a sport. I love the game, that the NFL’s various recent social justice initiatives have created the emotions, the drama. Football represents a common ground real change - The NFL has certainly done a good job of showing the in my family and my friends. At its core, football is a safe haven and public that. escape from reality for me. However, the societal issues that the NFL is trying to combat However, the NFL is still do exist within the NFL itself, rooted in reality and still has a and there is no better insight long way to go to become a into that than Brian Flores’ racial more equitable place. If the NFL discrimination lawsuit against is trying to contribute to “ending the NFL and three teams in early racism”, it has to embody that February of 2022. message at every level - not just According to National Public display it on the surface. If the Radio, Flores, the head coach of NFL seeks to tie itself with social the Miami Dolphins for three justice, it has to seek to improve years, alleged that he was fired that aspect of itself as well. before the end of his five-year Looking to the future, the NFL contract as a result of racial first has to realize that all the discrimination. He claimed he show and spectacle won’t solve was not given a fair shot in the anything. Why are the unfair employment practices in the NFL being interviews for both the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants coaching positions, and Flores charged that racist employment prac- ignored? Why can’t some money and publicity be applied to the hiring process? tices were at the center of all of it. It does “Take All of Us” to combat racism. “All” means coaches. Flores specifically claimed that his interview with the Broncos was Owners. Those in power who aren’t giving people of color a fair a ‘sham’ staged just to satisfy the Rooney Rule, a policy that went chance. Everyone at every step in the system. It takes all of us. into effect in 2003 that requires teams to interview candidates of
“If the NFL is trying to contribute to “ending racism”, it has to embody that message at every level - not just display it on the surface.”
24 DROPS OF INK
NFL Equity.indd 1
3/23/2022 11:17:16 AM
