Morgan is a native of Las Vegas and comes to the Raiders after previously serving as president and executive director of the Nevada Gaming Control Board. She has also served as director of external affairs for AT&T Services, Inc. in southern Nevada and as an attorney for an international gaming and hospitality company. “I am thrilled that Sandra has agreed to join the Raiders family,” said Raiders owner Mark Davis. “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 fortunate to have her at the helm.” Morgan, who was the first person of color to chair the Nevada Gaming Control Board, is the third woman and third African-American to become president of an NFL team. Sandra Douglas Morgan, who made history by becoming the NFL’s first black women’s team president, said it was “the honor of a lifetime to be a part of the Raiders.” AP Photo/John Locher She’s also the latest Raiders recruit to break barriers. Former Raiders coach Tom Flores was the first Hispanic head coach to win a Super Bowl title and former coach Art Shell was the first black head coach of the NFL’s Super Bowl era. Morgan, who spent eight years with the city of North Las Vegas, was also the first Black city attorney in the state of Nevada when she served in that role from 2013 to 2016. “I certainly never want to be last,” Morgan said, “and I want to get to a point where there are no more firsts.” Morgan emphasized leadership and full transparency during the introductory press conference at Allegiant Stadium. “We still have a lot to do, and I’m excited to be at the helm of that development and look forward to starting the new chapter for the Raiders,” Morgan said. “The fact is, I accepted this role because I believe in the promise of the Raiders, I believe in the future of the Raiders and I believe in this organization’s principles of community, integrity and above all, a commitment to excellence.” He takes over a team that has endured turbulent times in its front office, with two presidents and longtime executives leaving the organization in less than a year. After Marc Badain stepped down as chairman last summer, Dan Ventrelle took over in July 2021 on an interim basis and was promoted to full-time in January. But Ventrelle left less than a year after joining the organization. In a statement to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Ventrelle said he was fired in retaliation for bringing concerns from multiple employees to the NFL about a “hostile work environment.” “It’s no secret that this agency has faced some recent challenges, but I want to be clear, I’m not here to sweep anything under the rug or avoid any issues or concerns that need to be addressed,” Morgan said. “It’s not lost on me that this is a critical and defining moment in the NFL. It’s important to me and it’s my intention to make a meaningful contribution far beyond the Raiders family.” Star defensive end Maxx Crosby, who watched Morgan’s induction, said the Raiders players are excited to start a new chapter. “It’s unbelievable,” Crosby said. “First, he just broke barriers and Mark did an incredible job and started with his father. You know, just being transparent and giving everyone an equal opportunity. She’s honestly the best for the job and she’s going to be awesome, we’re excited for the future.” Coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler welcomed Morgan in a prepared statement. “We congratulate Sandra Douglass Morgan on her historic hire as team president and are excited to welcome her to the Raiders family. Sandra brings impressive leadership experience to the organization and we are excited to work with her as we continue to build a championship culture and team “, the announcement states. Morgan’s husband, Don, played with the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals between 1999 and 2002 The Associated Press contributed to this report
