NFL Achieves Best Ever Racial and Gender Hiring Grades

The 2023 NFL Racial and Gender Report Card shows significant improvements, but disparities remain in head coaching and ownership positions.

• The 2023 NFL Racial and Gender Report Card released by The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport (TIDES) at the University of Central Florida (UCF) reflects the best grades ever for the league, with a B+ for racial hiring practices (86.2%, up 1.2 percentage points), a B for gender hiring practices (84.0%, up 2.6 percentage points) and an overall combined grade of B+ (up from 83.2% in 2022 to 85.1%).
• The NFL reached multiple all-time highs in the following categories for race: assistant coaches, league office, general managers, team vice presidents, senior administration and professional staff. Additionally, the NFL had all-time highs in the following categories for gender: assistant coaches, league office, team vice presidents and professional staff.
• The total percentage of NFL head coaches of color remained at 18.8% in 2023. There were six people of color, representing 18.8% of all NFL head coaches at the start of the 2023 NFL season. In mid-season, the Las Vegas Raiders named Antonio Pierce, who is Black, as interim head coach, bringing the total of head coaches of color in 2023 to seven.
• The NFL has pro sports' best record for people of color as team presidents. Teams had six people of color who were the president/principal in charge of team business operations at the start of the 2023 NFL season.
• The NFL has two owners of color. Shad Khan, a Pakistani-American businessman, is the principal owner of the Jacksonville Jaguars. Kim Pegula, an Asian American woman, is an owner of a significant interest in the Buffalo Bills.

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