NFL Puts Brakes On DEI Accelerator Program After Obvious Failings

The NFL's Accelerator Program, a DEI exercise that gave minorities and women more exposure to the league's owners than their white male counterparts, was a failure. The league is reluctantly admitting that now.

The acknowledgment came implicitly Tuesday amid the news that the 2025 version of the Accelerator Program is being canceled. 

So the May session, originally scheduled for next week for minority and women coaches, and the December session for minority and women front office executives will not take place.

INGLEWOOD, CA - JANUARY 04: The NFL network headquarters building with an NFL shield logo displayed, January 04, 2023, in Inglewood, CA. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The NFL instead says it is pausing the program to give league executives time to "reimagine" the Accelerator Program.

"Every offseason, we take a step back to reflect on the positives and areas for improvement of our programs and assess ways to make them more impactful," NFL executive vice president and chief administrative officer Dasha Smith said in a statement. "This year, we assessed and identified additional opportunities with the Accelerator— including combining the Coaching and Front Office programs to ensure the Accelerator continues to be as impactful as possible.

"We have decided to hold the next iteration of the Accelerator in May 2026. 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. 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