Las Vegas Raiders Hire NFL’s First Black Woman As Team President
Jul 8, 2022, 5:30 AM | Updated: 8:17 am
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The Las Vegas Raiders have hired Sandra Douglass Morgan as its new team president Thursday, making her the first Black woman in the NFL’s history to be a president of an organization.
Morgan’s hiring was announced to employees via a letter written by the new team president, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
“I am thrilled to join you as we embark on one of the most exciting times in the history of our organization,” Morgan said in the letter. “I look forward to meeting each of you in person over the coming weeks.”
The former Nevada Gaming Control Board chairwoman served as the Control Board chair from 2019-2021, becoming the first Black woman to do so, as well. A native of Las Vega, Morgan is the third woman and third African American to be president of an NFL franchise.
The role had been vacant for the Raiders since May after interim president Dan Ventrelle was let go by the team, claiming he was fired for alerting the NFL of a hostile work environment within the organization.
“Let me be clear – I am not here to avoid or sidestep problems or concerns that need to be addressed,” Morgan said, via the Review-Journal. “I’ve given long and thoughtful consideration to joining you, and I’ve done so because I believe in the promise of the Raiders. Most importantly, I believe in your core values of integrity, community, and commitment to excellence. I will expect you to embody those and to hold me accountable to doing the same.”
Sandra Douglass Morgan is breaking barriers as the first Black woman president in NFL history. 👏 pic.twitter.com/sBV9c4c6R2
— NFL (@NFL) July 7, 2022
Morgan joins the silver & black after a tumultuous time for the organization, with two presidents and multiple longtime executives leaving in less than a year’s time. Numerous reports of a hostile work environment have been filed against the Raiders in recent years, including women alleging a troubling pattern of harassment, forced demotions, and unequal treatment, according to the Review-Journal.
Morgan addressed such allegations during her introductory press conference Thursday, planning to make that a point of emphasis from day 1.
“Organizational challenges is no secret. I definitely have had the experience with dealing with challenges in the past,” Morgan stated. “I’m coming into this role with a new perspective and a new leadership style. Definitely focused on forging a new path forward and leading this team to the next level. I’m prepared to craft a new path that can also honor the Raiders legacy and continue to make impactful changes in our community that we can all be proud of as well.”
And that community connection is what ultimately led owner Mark Davis to the hiring of the former Nevada Control Board chair, wanting to grow deeper roots within the Sin City community.
“We’ve been here really about four, four and a half years trying to build bridges within the community and everything else, and I think having Sandra here, who knows the community as well as she does, is going to be a very important part of helping that process,” Davis said about his new team president.
As for the new team president, she’s just happy to be a part of one of the biggest brands in football.
“It’s a dream come true to be a Raider,” Morgan said.
The Raiders are no strangers to breaking down color and gender barriers in the NFL. They also hired Art Shell as the first black head coach of the modern era, Tom Flores as the first Hispanic head coach, and Amy Trask as the first female CEO in the NFL.
Click here to watch the full introductory press conference. Follow Sactown Sports for more NFL news.
