Consider This from NPR

Why the NFL (Still) Has a Diversity Problem


Listen Later

Football is the most watched sport in the US - and one of the most profitable. The NFL reported that last year, the Super Bowl was watched by two-thirds of Americans.

But for some, the popularity and success of the sport are overshadowed by its continuing problems around race - from its handling of players kneeling in protest against the killing of unarmed Black people, to lawsuits over racially biased compensation for concussed Black players, to the NFL's inability –or is it unwillingness?--to hire and retain Black coaches in a league where a majority of the players are black.

On Tuesday, the Houston Texans announced that they have hired a new head coach - DeMeco Ryans. He becomes one of three Black coaches among the 32 teams in the NFL.

The league is also touting a historic first in the upcoming Super Bowl – two Black starting quarterbacks. Are these hopeful signs or progress, or, as some critics contend, too little, too late?

Host Michel Martin talks to Justin Tinsley, who writes about sports and culture and appears on ESPN.

And Carron Phillips, of Deadspin, explains why 20 years of the NFL's Rooney Rule failed to diversity football's leadership roles.

See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for sponsorship and to manage your podcast sponsorship preferences.

NPR Privacy Policy
...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Consider This from NPRBy NPR

  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2
  • 4.2

4.2

6,013 ratings


More shows like Consider This from NPR

View all
Fresh Air by NPR

Fresh Air

38,430 Listeners

Planet Money by NPR

Planet Money

30,609 Listeners

The NPR Politics Podcast by NPR

The NPR Politics Podcast

26,012 Listeners

NPR News Now by NPR

NPR News Now

14,681 Listeners

The Daily by The New York Times

The Daily

113,121 Listeners

Up First from NPR by NPR

Up First from NPR

56,944 Listeners

The Indicator from Planet Money by NPR

The Indicator from Planet Money

9,556 Listeners

Today, Explained by Vox

Today, Explained

10,331 Listeners

Post Reports by The Washington Post

Post Reports

5,217 Listeners

Throughline by NPR

Throughline

16,512 Listeners

Short Wave by NPR

Short Wave

6,592 Listeners

State of the World from NPR by NPR

State of the World from NPR

437 Listeners

Trump's Terms by NPR

Trump's Terms

419 Listeners

The Headlines by The New York Times

The Headlines

747 Listeners

Sources & Methods by NPR

Sources & Methods

873 Listeners