Which NFL Team Has the Most Black Players?
According to a recent study, the NFL team with the most black players is the Seattle Seahawks.
The NFL’s Racial Divide
The National Football League has been accused of having a racial divide between its players and teams. Some say that the league is racist because it has a higher percentage of black players than any other professional sport. However, others say that the NFL is not racist and that the higher percentage of black players is due to the fact that more black athletes play football than any other sport.
The league’s history of racism
The National Football League has a long and complicated history with race. The league was founded in 1920, just a few years after the end of slavery in the United States. And while the NFL did not explicitly forbid black players from joining the league, it was understood that they were not welcome. In fact, it wasn’t until 1946 that the NFL saw its first black player: Kenny Washington, who joined the Los Angeles Rams.
Since then, the NFL has made some progress in integrating its ranks. But even today, the league is still predominantly white. According to a 2017 report from The Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, 69 percent of NFL players are white, while only 28 percent are black. This racial divide is even more pronounced among NFL coaches, who are 83 percent white and just 17 percent black.
This racial disparity is not unique to the NFL. But it is worth noting because football is such a popular sport in the United States, and because the NFL wields so much power and influence. As one of America’s most visible institutions, the NFL has a responsibility to promote diversity and inclusion. But sadly, it seems like the league still has a long way to go.
The protests and the backlash
When Colin Kaepernick, then a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, began sitting or taking a knee during the playing of the national anthem as a form of protest against police brutality and racial injustice in 2016, he was joined by a handful of other players. Kaepernick became a free agent after that season and has not been signed by any team since. In 2017, as protests by players continued during the anthem, President Donald Trump said at a rally that NFL owners should “fire” players who knelt.Trump’s comments sparked an increase in protests by players during the anthem the following week, as well as more Backlash from some fans and NFL officials.
The number of black players in the NFL has been declining for years, even as the league has become more diverse. In 2001, about 67 percent of NFL players were black; by 2017, that number had fallen to below 60 percent. The percentage of black quarterbacks has also declined over time: In 2001, 17 percent of quarterbacks were black; in 2017, that number was down to 7 percent.
The protests and the backlash have coincided with a decline in ratings for NFL games. It is not clear how much of that decline is due to the protests or to other factors such as increased competition from other forms of entertainment. But it is clear that the league has lost some viewers since 2016.
The NFL’s Black Players
As of 2020, the NFL is made up of 70% black players. This number has been increasing over the years, and it’s not surprising given the amount of talent that black athletes have. What is surprising, however, is which team has the most black players.
The percentage of black players in the NFL
The NFL is composed of 70% black players. African Americans make up the vast majority of the league’s players, with whites making up only a small minority. Hispanics are also a small minority, at just over 10%.
This 70-30 split is not representative of the general population, which is about 60-40 white-black. It is, however, reflective of the athletic population; blacks make up the vast majority of NBA and MLB players as well.
The NFL’s black superstars
While 70% of the NFL is black, only 4% of quarterbacks are. This has been a problem in the NFL for a long time, with black quarterbacks often being relegated to playing running back or wide receiver instead.
This past offseason, the San Francisco 49ers made history by drafting two black quarterbacks in the same draft. While this is a step in the right direction, there is still a long way to go in terms of equal representation for black players in the NFL.
Here are some of the NFL’s black superstars:
-Baltimore Ravens Quarterback Lamar Jackson
-New York Jets Running Back Le’Veon Bell
-Kansas City Chiefs Wide Receiver Tyreek Hill
-Los Angeles Rams Defensive Tackle Aaron Donald
The NFL’s Black Coaches
The lack of black head coaches
In the National Football League (NFL), eight of the 32 head coaches are black, as of 2019. The NFL has never had more than eight black head coaches in a single season. While blacks make up about 70% of NFL players, they have been underrepresented among head coaches. The league’s first black head coach was Fritz Pollard, who coached the Akron Pros in 1921. In 2020, Anthony Lynn of the Los Angeles Chargers and Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins will be the only two black head coaches in the NFL.
The lack of black head coaches in the NFL has been an issue for many years. In 2003, the NFL instituted the “Rooney Rule,” named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney. The rule requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for open coaching and executive positions. Despite the Rooney Rule, many believe that more needs to be done to increase the number of black head coaches in the NFL.
The “Rooney Rule”
In 2002, the NFL implemented the “Rooney Rule,” named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney. The rule requires that teams interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs.
There is no quota or set number of interviews that teams must complete, but the league hopes that the rule will increase diversity among its coaching ranks. Currently, there are only four black head coaches in the NFL, out of a total of 32.
Critics of the rule say that it can be used as a way to check a team’s diversity box without actually hiring a qualified minority candidate. They also argue that the rule puts pressure on interviewees to perform well inorder to prove their worthiness for the job, which can be especially difficult given the short time frame of most interviews.
Despite its limitations, the Rooney Rule has increased the number of black coaches and front office personnel in the NFL, and is seen as a step in the right direction by many fans and observers.
The NFL’s Black Fans
Around 70 percent of the NFL’s fans are black, but only about 30 percent of its players are black. African Americans make up about 13 percent of the U.S. population. The disparity has some black fans feeling like the league doesn’t value them as much as white fans.
The black community’s relationship with the NFL
The black community has a complicated relationship with the NFL. While the league has been praised for its efforts to promote diversity, it has also been criticized for its treatment of black players, especially when it comes to discipline.
The NFL has a higher percentage of black players than any other professional sport in the United States. However, blacks are still underrepresented in coaching and front office positions. In recent years, the league has made an effort to address this issue by hiring more black coaches and executives.
Despite these efforts, some members of the black community continue to feel that the NFL is not doing enough to support black players and communities. Critics point to the league’s handling of player protests during the national anthem as evidence of this.
The relationship between the black community and the NFL is complex and ever-evolving. It remains to be seen how these issues will be addressed in the future.
The NFL’s black fan base
The NFL’s black fan base is among the most loyal and passionate in all of sports. For decades, they have been some of the league’s most diehard supporters, cheering on their teams through thick and thin.
Despite comprising only 13 percent of the U.S. population, black fans make up a significant portion of the NFL’s base. In fact, according to a 2016 Nielsen report, African-Americans make up 22 percent of the league’s TV audience.
While there are 32 NFL teams, there are really only a handful that have large black fanbases. Here is a look at the five teams with the most black fans, according to Nielsen data.
1. Dallas Cowboys: 36 percent
2. New York Giants: 34 percent
3. Washington Redskins: 30 percent
4. Houston Texans: 28 percent
5. Miami Dolphins: 27 percent
