What Is the Percent of Black Players in the NFL?

We take a look at the percentage of black players in the NFL, and whether or not this number has changed over the years.

Introduction

In the National Football League (NFL), the percentage of black players has increased steadily since the 1970s. Today, about 70 percent of NFL players are black.

This increase in black representation is due in part to the NFL’s relaxed stance on race in the early years of the league. In its early years, the NFL was segregated, like most other professional sports leagues. But in 1946, the NFL allowed black players to join the league, and by 1950 there were seven black players in the league.

Since then, the number of black player has continued to grow. In 1971, 17 percent of NFL players were black. By 1981, that number had increased to 21 percent. In 1991, it was 33 percent. In 2001, it was 40 percent. And today, it is 70 percent.

The increase in black players in the NFL mirrors a similar trend in college football. According to a report from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, 57 percent of college football players were black in 2017. That’s up from 47 percent in 2007 and 42 percent in 1997.

History of the NFL

The National Football League (NFL) was founded in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association (APFA) with ten teams from four states, all of whom existed in some form as participants of regional leagues in their respective territories. The first organizational meeting of the APFA was held on August 20, 1920, at the Jordan and Hupmobile auto showroom in Canton, Ohio; at which time they changed the league’s name to the National Football League.

The current state of the NFL

In the NFL, as of September 2020, there are 70.7% black players and 29.3% white players. The black players are mostly at the running back, wide receiver, and cornerback positions. In the past few years, the NFL has been facing criticism for its lack of diversity, especially in its coaching positions.

The percent of black players in the NFL

The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league consisting of 32 teams, divided equally between the National Football Conference (NFC) and the American Football Conference (AFC). The NFL is one of the four major professional sports leagues in North America, and the highest professional level of American football in the world.

According to a recent study, the NFL is 70% black.

The percent of black quarterbacks in the NFL

As of 2019, the NFL is made up of 70% African American players, according to a report from USA Today. That number has been steadily increasing over the years, but the percentage of black quarterbacks in the league has not kept pace. In 2019, only about 15% of NFL quarterbacks are African American, which is actually down from 16% in 2018.

The future of the NFL

The NFL is facing a problem. The league is getting older and, as a result, the average player is now 28 years old. That’s four years older than the average player was just 10 years ago.

Part of the reason for this is that the NFL has done a great job of attracting young talent in recent years. But another part of the reason is that the league has been losing its black players to retirement at an alarming rate.

In 2009, the percentage of black players in the NFL was 67%. By 2019, that number had dropped to 58%. And if current trends continue, it’s estimated that the percentage of black players in the NFL will be below 50% by 2030.

This trend is concerning for a number of reasons. First, it’s important to remember that black players have been integral to the success of the NFL since its inception. They’ve been some of the league’s most popular and talented players, and their contributions have helped to make the game what it is today.

Second, this trend could have deleterious effects on the quality of play in the NFL. Black players tend to be bigger and faster than white players, and they’ve historically been over-represented in positions like running back, wide receiver, and defensive back—positions that require speed and athleticism. If the percentage of black players in these positions continues to decline, it could lead to a decline in overall quality of play in the NFL.

Finally, this trend could have negative implications for the business side of the NFL. Black fans make up a significant portion of the league’s fan base, and if they feel like they’re being increasingly excluded from the game they love, they may stop watching altogether. This would obviously be bad for business.

So what can be done to address this problem? First and foremost, it’s important for everyone involved with the NFL—from commissioner Roger Goodell down to individual team owners—to recognize that this is a problem and to take ownership of it. Only then can steps be taken to fix it.

One potential solution would be for teams to deliberately target black players in both free agency and the draft. Another would be for the league to create initiatives aimed at increasing participation among black youth—in other words, getting more young black kids playing football at an earlier age so that they have a better chance of making it tothe NFL when they’re older. Whatever solution or combination of solutions is ultimately chosen, it’s clear that something needs to be done about this problem before it gets any worse.

Conclusion

The percentage of black NFL players has increased steadily since the 1970s. In 1977, the percentage of black players was 21.7%. By 1983, it had increased to 26.8%. In 1987, it was 28.3%. The highest percentage of black NFL players was in 2001, when they made up 33.4% of the league. In recent years, the percentage has hovered around 30%.