The NFL publicly emphasizes its commitment to LGBTQ+ inclusion.
But the league’s recent political donations tell a different story.
The NFL’s political action committee, Gridiron, mostly gave to Republicans last year, reports Awful Announcing. In total, Gridiron made four times the number of individual contributions, and donated three and a half times more money to GOP lawmakers than Democrats.
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One of the most notable recipients was Jim Jordan, whose lowlight of the year was ending his failed speakership run in the most embarrassing way possible. The hard-right rep from Ohio garnered just 199 votes in his bid, marking the first time in a century that a person from the House’s majority party received less than 200 votes in an election for speaker.
The NFL donated at least three times to Jim “Gym” Jordan, documents show. As chairman of the powerful Judiciary Committee, the former wrestling coach is one of Joe Biden‘s leading antagonizers.
Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, who’s head of the Oversight Committee and leading the laughable impeachment inquiry into Biden, received a contribution as well.
Jordan, an ultraconservative who represents north-central and western Ohio, is a staunch opponent of LGBTQ+ rights. He’s used the power of the Judiciary Committee to command hearings on an array of anti-LGBTQ+ issues, such as opposition to gender-affirming healthcare.
When Congress introduced the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022, Jordan voted against the measure, arguing Democrats want…to bypass the Supreme Court?
“This bill is simply the latest installment of the Democrats’ campaign to delegitimize and attempt to intimidate the United States Supreme Court,” he said.
That’s certainly one of the more convoluted ways we’ve heard to express homophobic beliefs!
Jordan on Marriage Equality Bill: This bill is simply the latest installment of the Democrats campaign to delegitimize and attempt to intimidate the Supreme Court pic.twitter.com/NJGYB4ycF2— Acyn (@Acyn) July 19, 2022
It was the most gay-friendly Super Bowl in NFL history, as the league hosted both Carl Nassib and out Jacksonville Jaguars host Kevin Maxen in Las Vegas. The San Francisco 49ers also arrived with an out gay cheerleader, Jonathan Romero.
Romero is the first out gay cheerleader in San Francisco 49ers history.
Ever since Nassib’s historic coming out, the NFL has partnered with The Trevor Project, the leading suicide prevention organization for LGBTQ+ young people. In recent years, the league has introduced its first ever Pride collection, and produced a video declaring “football is gay.”
Since 2017, the NFL has also sponsored the National Gay Flag Football League’s annual championship tournament, the aptly titled “Gay Bowl.”
Last season, the league celebrated the NGFFL during a national broadcast, highlighting Boston’s gay LGBTQ+ flag football league over the holidays.
There are multiple out execs in the NFL: Sam Rapoport, the senior director for diversity, equity and inclusion; and Christine Vicari, the senior vice president of labor finance.
All that’s to say, the league is making strides on inclusion. Still, the Gridiron’s donations to Jordan, and other homophobic GOP lawmakers, stand in contrast to those efforts. (It’s worth noting the NFL’s latest contributions to Jordan come in the wake of allegations he ignored the sexual abuse of athletes while a wrestling coach at Ohio State.)
There’s also the fact that 60% of the league’s players are Black. Republicans are widely opposed to social justice efforts, including the NFL’s. For years, Republicans have chided the league with their ridiculous “go woke, go broke” narrative.
Donald Trump, who called Black protesters kneeling during the national anthem “sons of b*tches,” started the right-wing crusade against the league. Nevertheless, nine NFL owners contributed to his inaugural committee. New York Jets owner Woody Johnson, who served as Trump’s ambassador to the U.K., is supporting him again.
But the political contributions of individual billionaires are separate from the league’s. Last year, the NFL made 63 individual contributions to GOP lawmakers, for a total of $134,000. Meanwhile, Gridiron engineered just 15 donations to Democrats worth $38,500.
In addition, the league contributed to $38,500 to Republican PACs, compared to $8,500 to Democratic ones.
The NFL regularly has issues before Congress, including antitrust arguments and labor disputes. Two years ago, the Oversight Committee investigated the Washington Commanders and then-owner Daniel Snyder for alleged rampant sexual harassment and other misdeeds.
In a statement, the NFL told Awful Announcing its PAC always contributes an equivalent amount of money to each party, and spending will even out in 2024.
But in previous non-election years, the spending has never been so tilted towards the GOP. In 2019, Gridiron made 22 contributions to Democrats worth $72,500, and $38,100 to Republican Senators.
In 2015, when the Republicans controlled both houses, Gridiron donated $200,500 to Republicans, and $180,000 to Democrats.
Time will tell if the NFL’s spending this year will tilt towards Democrats. There’s a long way to go, despite the league’s stated dedication to inclusion and equality.
