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NFL Defies Trump, Says Race-Based DEI Efforts “Fundamental” To Business Success

Patrick Mahomes

President Donald Trump has made quick work of his campaign promises to dismantle DEI programs throughout the government, issuing executive orders and other directives to eliminate people and initiatives associated with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion efforts from every sector of the federal government.

Trump’s efforts to purge DEI don’t stop at the government either, as he has pledged that his DOJ will pursue such “illegal” programs in the private sector as well, suing corporations who consciously pursue a diverse workforce for what is sometimes referred to as “reverse discrimination.”

[NOTE: Trump told the global powerbrokers gathered at Davos: “My administration has taken action to abolish all discriminatory diversity, equity and inclusion nonsense – and these are policies that were absolute nonsense – throughout the government and the private sector.”]

But Trump’s effort to shake down practitioners of DEI ethos in the private sector run up against an argument that even the NFL is making: that setting aside whatever positive impact DEI practices may have on society, diversity, equity and inclusion are good for business. And making good business decisions are the responsibility of capable management.

Defying Trump’s threats, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed the DEI issue on Super Bowl week and said that the league is “not in this because it’s a trend to get into or a trend to get out of it…Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League both on and off the field, as I’ve said previously. We see that. We see how it’s benefitted in the National Football League. I think we’ll continue those efforts. I think it’s also clearly a reflection of our fan base and our communities and our players.”

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Goodell might invoke Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts to back up his belief that the pursuit of diversity is a necessary force for organizations that need to demonstrate strength and cohesion. In June 2023, the Supreme Court explicitly exempted American military academies from its ruling banning race-based admissions, allowing institutions like West Point to continue to use race as a factor in admissions.

In his majority opinion Roberts wrote that West Point and the U.S. Naval Academy may have “potentially distinct interests” in considering the race of their applicants, a tacit acknowledgement that effective national security requires a diverse officer corps.

[NOTE: The NFL has long abided by the “Rooney Rule” — named for the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney — which requires franchises to interview minority candidates for open coaching positions before making a new hire. The NFL has also opted not to include the end zone sign that reads “End Racism” on the field in this year’s Super Bowl, ending a 3-year run for the phrase.]

Companies like Costco also concur with Goodell’s conclusion that DEI, practiced properly, is a positive for the corporate bottom line, explaining recently:

“We believe (and member feedback shows) that many of our members like to see themselves reflected in the people in our warehouses with whom they interact,” Costco said in a proxy statement to shareholders advising against voting to examine the legal risks of its policies in the new Trump era.”

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DEI proponents in sports who point to enhanced bottom lines as a key justification for the initiatives also include billionaire minority owner of the NBA’s Dallas Mavericks, Mark Cuban. Cuban has engaged in numerous public arguments about DEI with Elon Musk, who is both a stalwart opponent of the practice and now the most powerful person in President Trump’s orbit.

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