What Percentage of NFL Players Are Caucasian?

We take a look at the percentage of NFL players who are Caucasian to see if the league is truly representative of America.

Introduction

As of the 2017 season, African Americans made up 70% of NFL players, while Caucasians made up 27%. Hispanics comprised just over 2% of the league, while Asians and other groups each made up less than 1%.

NFL Players by Race

Caucasian players make up the largest percentage of NFL players, followed by African American, Hispanic, and Asian players. According to a study done in 2016, this is the breakdown of NFL players by race.

Caucasian NFL Players

Caucasian NFL players make up a small percentage of the league, but their numbers have been slowly creeping up in recent years. In 2016, they made up 21.6 percent of the league, according to an article by USA Today. That’s still far below the 67 percent of the general population that is Caucasian, but it’s an increase from past years. In 2014, for example, Caucasian players made up only 19.3 percent of the league.

There are a number of factors that could be driving this trend. One is that the pool of Caucasian players is simply getting bigger as the sport continues to grow in popularity. Another possibility is that teams are becoming more open to drafting and signing Caucasian players, who were once considered at a disadvantage because of their smaller numbers. Whatever the reason, it’s clear that Caucasian players are gradually becoming more common in the NFL.

African American NFL Players

African American NFL players make up approximately 21% of the league, according to a 2020 report from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. That number has remained relatively unchanged over the past decade, despite the NFL’s efforts to increase diversity among its ranks.

While African American players are still underrepresented in the NFL compared to their share of the general population (13%), they are significantly better represented than in other major professional sports leagues. In the NBA, African Americans make up approximately 75% of the league, while in Major League Baseball they make up only about 8%.

The NFL has been working to improve diversity among its ranks in recent years, with initiatives like the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for open head coaching and senior operations positions. While these efforts have not yet led to a significant increase in the number of African American players in the league, they have helped to improve the pipeline of talented minority coaches and executives.

Hispanic NFL Players

Of the 1,696 NFL players in the 2017 season, 103 were Hispanic. This amounts to 6.1% of all NFL players. Hispanics are the second largest racial group in the NFL after African Americans. Caucasians make up the third largest group with 66.3% of all NFL players being Caucasian.

Asian NFL Players

Asian NFL players make up a small but growing percentage of the league. In 2020, there were 21 Asian players in the NFL, representing 2.1% of the league. This is up from just 12 players in 2010, so Asian players are slowly but surely increasing their representation in the NFL.

The vast majority of Asian NFL players are of Chinese or Japanese descent. There are also players from Korea, India, Samoa, and other countries in Asia. Most Asian players play on the offensive or defensive line, but there are a few skill position players as well.

The most successful Asian player in NFL history is probably placekicker Jason Elam, who played for 17 seasons and made over 80% of his field goal attempts. He was born in Japan to a Japanese mother and an American father, making him eligible to play for both countries in international competitions. However, he chose to represent the United States and played for Team USA at the 1993 World University Games.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as of 2019, the NFL is made up of 70.1% Caucasian players, 21.9% African American players, 1.8% Latinx players, and 6.2% players of other races. Although the NFL has been gradually becoming more diverse over the past few years, it still has a long way to go in terms of racial equality.