When “Woke” Works? 

The league’s decision to remove the “End Racism” slogan wasn’t their only strategic decision of the night. 

In Trump’s second presidency, fear has driven a misconception: “DEI will tank my business.” When I heard Trump would be attending the Superbowl, I worried the NFL might give into that fear. 

A week earlier, commissioner Roger Goodell reaffirmed the league’s commitment to workplace diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), saying “It has made the NFL better.” Then, news broke: they caved. For the first time since the murder of George Floyd, the NFL would remove the phrase, “End Racism” from its end zone messaging. 

Some critics were quick to call the move a backtrack. I see it differently. 

The World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report for 2025 suggests the NFL is not alone—most companies are strengthening their DEI efforts. They might make mistakes along the way, but despite fearmongering and woke-labeling, the NFL maintains their commitments because they prove effective. The longer they demonstrate that on one of the most viewed screens in the nation, the sooner proof will drown out that noise.

First times risk rocky starts 

Changing the end zone slogan at the last minute was surprising, but this isn’t the first time the NFL tried to do DEI right, and fumbled. 

In 2016, when Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to bring attention to police brutality, fans were deeply divided over the NFL’s response. Some felt the league should have been more supportive. Others wanted condemnation. 

Instead, the NFL attempted to stay neutral—a bad decision, but one they eventually recognized. Senior vice president, Jonathan Beane soon stepped in as NFL chief diversity and inclusion officer, and Goodell later reflected: “We were wrong for not listening to NFL players earlier.” 

Instead of retreating, the NFL reaffirmed their commitments, and perspectives eventually shifted – a 2020 survey found nearly half of fans were more supportive of Kaepernick than in 2016. In fact, years of the NFL’s inclusion efforts to attract more women fans had them built a significant well of goodwill by the time Kaepernick knelt. Including more people helped make for more supportive fans.

The message remains the same 

The NFL drives massive amounts of revenue because they do their research. Knowing their audience spans societal spectrums, they design messaging to be consumable across more of them. Audience members who view words like “racism” or “DEI” as conversation enders would benefit from greater clarity.

So, they stenciled “Choose Love” onto the end zone in hopes to unify the country after so many recent tragedies. The messaging still welcomes concepts of inclusion and diversity, but softer so it might reach more of the fans who most need to hear it. They also featured Black performers for pre-game entertainment, pro-diversity ads, and an American flag composed of Black male dancers backing up Kendrick Lamar during half-time. 

Unlike critics of the NFL’s Superbowl approach, I say their actions were appropriate, even bold, in the face of Trump’s targeted scrutiny. With a record number of coaches and executives from diverse backgrounds and black players at the top of their game, the NFL understandably didn’t want to create any friction or negative sentiment that might detract from that.

The proof is in the benefits 

After Kaepernick, pundits predicted a devastating drop in ratings, but in 2024, the NFL owned 72 of TV’s top 100 broadcasts, boasting record-breaking earnings, an expanding fan base, and teams worth billions. An NFL stadium is one of the few places where followers of MAGA can sit beside supporters of BLM and still find common ground. Here’s what we can learn from their approach to DEI commitments: 

1. 1. Deliver good football
      The NFL is about delivering good football and the organization says DEI ensures they draw the best participants for the most entertaining game. Maintaining the quality of their product means sticking with what works best to deliver it. Caving to political backlash means putting that progress at risk. 
   2. Know your audience
      While season ticket holders pay a pretty penny, NFL TV viewership drives a tremendous amount of profit. The NFL understands the value of their diverse customers and that their visual messaging requires strong DEI commitments. 
   3. Understanding enriches
      Think of Jack Kemp, former New York congressman who played for the Buffalo Bills. Kemp described playing with diverse athletes as enriching his perspectives, making him a better politician. With understanding and empathy, we can communicate and engage with others more effectively.

Is it “Woke”? Does it matter? 

To leaders tempted to abandon DEI initiatives, be patient. Look down from your box seats at the full NFL stadiums and consider how diversity drives the league’s dominance. 

Goodell described the NFL’s DEI efforts as “attracting the best possible talent into our league and to allow them opportunities to be able to advance.” Ultra-conservatives might call that “woke,” a premise meant to be confusing because otherwise people would understand it for what it is—nonsense. 

The fact is DEI works. The longer the NFL can withstand the political pressure, the more they will reap those benefits.

Greg Almieda, the Founder and CEO of Global View Communications and the 501(c)(3) Undivided America Project is a Boston-born DE&I strategist and thought leader. He consults organizations in New England on building inclusive workplaces in an evolving social and political landscape.