LAS VEGAS — The Las Vegas Raiders are breaking glass ceilings announcing Sandra Douglass Morgan as the team’s new president Thursday. This will make Morgan the first Black woman to hold the title of president on an NFL team.
Morgan is no stranger to the life of professional football. She once presided as the Nevada Gaming Control Board chairperson from 2019 to 2021. Her new position was announced to Raiders’ employees via a letter, where she wrote ecstatically about starting this journey.
“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 news of a new president for the Raiders also makes her their third president in less than a year. The president’s seat had been vacant since May, when the then interim president, Dan Ventrelle, was fired by the team. Morgan goes on in her letter, not avoiding the obvious.
“Let me be clear — I am not here to avoid or sidestep problems or concerns that need to be addressed,” Morgan said. “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.”
The Las Vegas Raiders have broken barriers before and were inclusive long before it became the norm. Art Shell was hired as the team’s first Black head coach in 2006 and named Amy Trask as the first female CEO in league history.
