Raiders hire Sandra Douglass Morgan as first Black woman team president in NFL history

The Las Vegas Raiders made a historic hire on Thursday by announcing former Nevada Gaming Control Board chairwoman Sandra Douglass Morgan as the first Black woman team president in NFL history. 

"It is the honor of a lifetime to join the Raiders at one of the most defining times in the team's history," Morgan said in a statement from the team. "This team's arrival in Las Vegas has created a new energy and opportunities we never dreamed possible. I look forward to taking this team's integrity, spirit and commitment to excellence on the field into every facet of this organization."

Morgan was also the first Black woman to chair Nevada’s Gaming Control Board at the time of her appointment in May 2019. She joins Buffalo’s Kim Pegula, who is also the Bills' co-owner, and Carolina’s Kristi Coleman as the third woman to be hired as a team president in NFL history. 

"I am thrilled that Sandra has agreed to join the Raiders family," Raiders owner Mark Davis said. "Her experience, integrity and passion for this community will be invaluable to our organization. From the moment I met Sandra, I knew she was a force to be reckoned with. We are extremely lucky to have her at the helm."

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Morgan will be the Raiders’ third team president in just over a year. In July 2021, Marc Badain abruptly resigned after serving as president since 2013 and working with the organization since 1991. Badain was succeeded by Dan Ventrelle, who served as interim president until he was fired this past May. Ventrelle later claimed he was fired for elevating multiple employees' allegations that Davis "created a hostile work environment."

The Raiders also saw head coach Jon Gruden resign in October 2021 after a league investigation into the Washington Football Team revealed Gruden made racist, sexist, and homophobic comments in emails with then-Washington general manager Bruce Allen. 

Alongside the announcement of their new team president, Las Vegas is also set to announce Heather DeSanto as their new vice president of human resources.  

“Let me be clear – I am not here to avoid or sidestep problems or concerns that need to be addressed,” Morgan said in her letter to the Raiders. “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.”