The NFL has been urged to send a message to Donald Trump by doubling down on DEI efforts amid the president’s opposition to the initiatives.

Trump did not waste any time in trying to restrict DEI after returning to the White House back in January, issuing a series of executive orders to eliminate it during his first week in office after branding it a form of ‘discrimination.’

NFL officials have been committed to enforcing DEI initiatives over the years, having introduced the controversial Rooney Rule – which requires teams to interview minority candidates for their top openings – back in 2003 albeit to an underwhelming effect, with a number of teams accused of holding sham interviews simply to tick a box.

In recent years the league has held a coaching accelerator program – allowing minority coaching talent to spend time with team owners in more relaxed settings ahead of potential future openings – in conjunction with its spring meetings as a possible improvement on the Rooney Rule.

However, as Trump continues to wage his war on DEI, the NFL has opted to pause its accelerator program until May 2026 while making a number of changes to it.

USA Today’s Jarrett Bell has been left furious by that decision, calling on commissioner Roger Goodell and team owners to push back at the president and double down on DEI efforts rather than shelve them for the next year.

The NFL has been urged to send a message to Donald Trump by doubling down on DEI efforts

The league, spearheaded by commissioner Roger Goodell (pictured), is shelving its coaching accelerator program until May 2026

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‘President Donald Trump’s administration has waged an all-out war on DEI. More than 30 states have pᴀssed or introduced legislation that eliminates or restricts DEI initiatives,’ Bell wrote in his latest column for the publication.

‘So many companies in corporate America have buckled and rolled back DEI commitments. Now is the perfect time for the socially-conscious NFL to keep its accelerator program front and center (even with tweaks) as a clear statement that doubles down on its DEI pledge.

‘Instead, it seems like the USA’s most dominant sports league is backpedaling.’

Bell went on to add: ‘In this political climate, it’s hardly a stretch to think that the NFL, which typically strategizes and messages in textbook fashion, isn’t putting up its guard to lessen the risk that it could become a huge target for Trump’s anti-DEI message.

‘Isn’t some of that a factor in the NFL’s decision to pause its accelerator program?’

The latest event in the coaching accelerator program, which began in 2022, was scheduled to have coaching candidates of diverse backgrounds meet with team owners at league meetings next week in Minnesota.

Yet NFL chief administrative officer Dasha Smith revealed this week that the program will return in 2026 in order to make it more successful.

‘This will allow us to reimagine the program, reflecting on the feedback and engaging with stakeholders so we can ensure a successful program in the future,’ she said in a statement Tuesday.

Goodell, who recently visited Trump at the White House, has promised not to forget about DEI

‘We’re steadfast in our commitment to strengthen our talent pipeline and create an environment that reflects the diversity of our fan base. The NFL strives to be a unifying force, and we are confident the next evolution of our efforts will take us one step closer to that goal.’

DEI laws and measures had been under attack for years by Republicans who believe they threaten merit-based hiring, promotion and educational opportunities of white people, specifically white men. Some Asian Americans also argue DEI unfairly limits opportunities for students and workers, while certain members of the black community claim it undermines years of progress.

Supporters of the programs, meanwhile, are adamant that they are necessary to ensure insтιтutions meet the needs of increasingly diverse populations.

In the wake of the decision to pause the accelerator program, Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones admitted recent Supreme Court rulings on DEI and Trump’s opposition to it played a factor.

‘The emphasis the president puts on it just makes us all aware and thinking about it,’ Jones said, via CBS.

For the first time in four years, the NFL controversially removed its long-running ‘end racism’ message from end zones at last season’s Super Bowl, instead opting for ‘Choose Love’ and ‘It Takes All of Us’ to be shown at Caesars Superdome.

But Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones says the league is ‘aware’ of Trump’s opposition to it

Despite axing that message from football’s end-of-season showpiece, league commissioner Roger Goodell insisted they were by no means backtracking from DEI initiatives.   

‘We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’re not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven ourselves that it does make the NFL better,’ Goodell said. 

‘We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into or a trend to get out of it,’ he continued. ‘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.’