Fallout from Jon Gruden emails leads to diversity questions

By ROB MAADDI
AP Pro Football Writer

Every week for the past two seasons, NFL players take the field wearing social justice messages on their helmets. “It Takes All of Us” and “End Racism” are stenciled in the end zones as part of the league’s Inspire Change platform. But actions often speak louder than words. The fallout from Jon Gruden’s emails has many questioning what it will really take to change the culture in the NFL. In a sport where about 70% of the players are Black, more than 80% of head coaches (27 of 32) and general managers (also 27 of 32) are white. Among principal owners, only Jacksonville’s Shad Khan and Buffalo’s Kim Pegula are members of minorities.