Meet the Black Men and Women Who Own a Piece of the NFL
By Alexus Mosley
NFL ownership has traditionally been one of the most exclusive clubs in American sports.
There has yet to be a Black principal owner of an NFL franchise, but that doesn’t mean Black investors are entirely absent from the ownership suite. Over the past several years, a growing group of athletes, executives, entrepreneurs and entertainers have purchased minority stakes in some of the league’s 32 teams.
Today, at least 18 Black investors can be publicly identified as holding minority ownership interests across eight NFL franchises. This group includes everyone from Serena Williams and Magic Johnson to Mellody Hobson, Will Packer and Charles Woodson. Some names are instantly recognizable while others may come as a surprise. Here are the Black men and women who own a piece of the NFL.
Condoleezza Rice — Denver Broncos
Former U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice joined the Broncos ownership group shortly after its acquisition in 2022.
Rice has long been an avid football fan and has held leadership positions across government, academia and business. The Broncos officially list her among the franchise’s owners.
Warrick Dunn — Atlanta Falcons
Former NFL running back Warrick Dunn became a limited partner in the Atlanta Falcons in 2009, just one year after ending his playing career.
Dunn spent six of his 12 NFL seasons playing for Atlanta and later returned to the franchise in a very different capacity: ownership. He was also among the first former NFL players to hold an ownership stake in a league franchise.
Rosalind Brewer — Atlanta Falcons
Business executive Rosalind “Roz” Brewer joined the Falcons ownership group in 2024.
Brewer’s résumé stretches well beyond football. The former CEO of Walgreens Boots Alliance has also held senior leadership positions at Walmart and Starbucks and served on several major corporate boards.
With decades of experience running some of America’s largest companies, she brought another kind of expertise into the Falcons’ ownership room.
Mellody Hobson — Denver Broncos
Mellody Hobson became part of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group that purchased the Denver Broncos in 2022.
The longtime business executive is co-CEO and president of Ariel Investments and has served on the boards of major corporations. The Broncos currently list Hobson as an owner alongside the Walton-Penner family.
Dominique Dawes — Atlanta Falcons
Olympic gold medalist Dominique Dawes also became a Falcons limited partner in 2024.
The former gymnast made history during her athletic career as part of the celebrated “Magnificent Seven” U.S. women’s gymnastics team that won gold at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
Nearly three decades after making sports history in Atlanta, Dawes became an investor in one of the city’s biggest sports franchises.
Will Packer — Atlanta Falcons
Hollywood has a seat at the table, too.
Film and television producer Will Packer joined the Falcons ownership group in 2024. The producer behind films including Girls Trip, Think Like a Man and Ride Along brought decades of entertainment-business experience and another prominent Black Atlanta connection to the franchise.
Rashaun Williams — Atlanta Falcons
Venture capitalist Rashaun Williams became a Falcons limited partner alongside Brewer, Dawes and Packer in 2024.
Williams has spent his career in finance and venture capital, investing in startups and technology companies. His addition further diversified the professional backgrounds represented within the Falcons ownership group.
Together with Dunn, the additions mean five publicly identified Black investors hold stakes in the Falcons.
Vince Carter — Buffalo Bills
Vince Carter spent more than two decades soaring across NBA courts. His post-basketball portfolio now includes an NFL franchise.
The Basketball Hall of Famer became a Buffalo Bills limited partner in December 2024 when the franchise welcomed outside minority investors for the first time in its history.
Tracy McGrady — Buffalo Bills
Carter wasn’t the only basketball legend joining Buffalo.
Seven-time NBA All-Star and Basketball Hall of Famer Tracy McGrady was part of the same group of new limited partners approved in 2024.
Jozy Altidore — Buffalo Bills
Former U.S. men’s national soccer team star Jozy Altidore rounds out Buffalo’s trio of prominent Black athlete-investors.
Altidore played professionally in the United States and Europe and represented the U.S. internationally before becoming one of the Bills’ new limited partners.
Sir Lewis Hamilton — Denver Broncos
Seven-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton became part of the Broncos ownership group in 2022.
Already one of the most successful racing drivers in history, Hamilton added NFL ownership to a business portfolio extending far beyond motorsports. He remains officially listed as an owner of the franchise.
Serena Williams — Miami Dolphins
Serena Williams doesn’t just dominate the history books in tennis.
She and her sister Venus became minority investors in the Miami Dolphins in 2009, adding NFL ownership to the sisters’ already considerable sports legacy.
For Serena, it was another early step toward the extensive investment portfolio she would build outside tennis.
Venus Williams — Miami Dolphins
Venus Williams joined the Dolphins alongside Serena, making the sisters part of a relatively small group of women with financial stakes in NFL franchises.
And considering the sisters grew up in Florida before becoming two of the greatest tennis players of their generation, the investment carried a fitting connection to the state where much of their story began.
Magic Johnson — Washington Commanders
When Josh Harris’ group purchased the Washington Commanders for $6.05 billion in 2023, one particularly famous name was among the investors: Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
The NBA legend has built an extensive business career since leaving basketball and has invested in professional sports franchises across multiple leagues.
The Commanders currently list Johnson as a limited partner in their ownership group.
Eric Holoman — Washington Commanders
Magic isn’t the only Black businessman with a stake in Washington.
Eric Holoman, a finance and investment executive, is also part of the Harris ownership group. While his name may be considerably less familiar to sports fans, Holoman sits alongside some of the country’s most prominent investors as a Commanders limited partner.
Richard Seymour — Las Vegas Raiders
Three-time Super Bowl champion Richard Seymour returned to the NFL in a new role when league owners approved his acquisition of a minority stake in the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024.
The Pro Football Hall of Famer played the final four seasons of his NFL career with the Raiders before retiring. He later joined the franchise’s ownership ranks alongside former New England Patriots teammate Tom Brady.
John Stallworth — Pittsburgh Steelers
John Stallworth went from catching touchdowns for the Pittsburgh Steelers to owning part of the team.
The Hall of Fame wide receiver won four Super Bowls during his playing career in Pittsburgh and later joined the franchise’s ownership group.
Decades after the Steelers selected him in the fourth round of the 1974 NFL Draft, the organization still officially identifies Stallworth as a member of its ownership group.
Charles Woodson — Cleveland Browns
Charles Woodson is the newest addition to this list.
In May 2025, the Pro Football Hall of Famer became a limited partner in the Cleveland Browns, adding team ownership to a football career that already included a Heisman Trophy, NFL Defensive Player of the Year honors and a Super Bowl championship.
His investment brought the publicly identifiable number of Black minority NFL owners another step higher.