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NFL Pioneer Fritz Pollard legacy lives on

We have heard a lot about the Fritz Pollard Alliance recently. The alliance has recently called for the Washington Redskins to change their name and mascot claiming that it is racially insensitive. They’ve also pointed out general racial inequities in the nations most popular sport…and one whose players are populated by Blacks and people of color.

According to the 2014 Racial and Gender Report Card: National Football League conducted by the UCF School of Business Administration, the Jacksonville Jaguars are the only NFL Franchise to have a majority owner of color…a Pakistani-born American businessman. There are, however, some positive points:

  • The number of African-American head coaches increased from 3 in 2013 to 4 in 2014
  • The number of women at or above VP level increased by 5% from 20 in 2013 to 21 in 2014
  • The total number of people of color who held senior administrative positions on NFL teams in 2013 increased to 17% from 15% when compared to 2012.

The legacy of the Fritz Pollard Alliance was created by Fritz Pollard who was the first African-American head coach in the NFL and along with Bobby Marshall was one of the first 2 African American players in the NFL in 1920.

ESPN Films Encore has done a documentary on Fritz Pollard that goes into his background and gives insight into the man whose legacy is still felt today in the game that he loved.