NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell Drafts Fritz Pollard Alliance Academy Students

Barry Sanders, Brad Holmes, Blake Corum, Bill Walsh and Neera Shetty Honored

DETROIT, April 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation is pleased to announce the upcoming Fritz Pollard Alliance Academy Draft Breakfast scheduled on Friday, April 26, 2024, at 8:00 a.m. The event will take place at the prestigious International Banquet & Conference Center located at 400 Monroe Street in downtown Detroit.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance Academy Draft Breakfast serves as a platform to honor individuals who have demonstrated exceptional characteristics in promoting diversity within the sports industry. The event will also serve as the launch of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Jr. Academy, which will feature NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell officially drafting (14) 9^th-grade student-athletes for their academic, community service and sports accomplishments. "We are committed to educating and preparing the next generation of sports-minded students to dream beyond the game," said Rod Graves, executive director.  These boys and girls will become Fritz Pollard Alliance Jr. Academy Ambassadors of the Detroit Lions, where they will be exposed to various sports related careers and other experiences during the season.

Barry Sanders, a legendary Detroit Lion and Pro Football Hall of Fame icon, will receive the inaugural Fritz Pollard Alliance Legacy Award for espousing the exemplary qualities of Fritz Pollard and for his contributions to humanity; the late Bill Walsh, a Pro Football Hall of Fame college and NFL coach, will be honored posthumously with the Daniel M. Rooney Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contributions to football; Brad Holmes, executive vice president and general manager of the Detroit Lions will receive the Salute to Excellence Award for his unparalleled excellence of managing a professional team; Blake Corum, All-American from the University of Michigan will receive the Fritz Pollard Alliance Trophy, given to the collegiate player who embodies the spirit and characteristics of Fritz Pollard on and off the field; and Neera Shetty, executive vice president, office of social responsibility and inclusion, PGA Tour, for outstanding leadership in promoting diversity in golf.

Collaborating with educational institutions and community organizations such as the Detroit Public Schools Community District, Detroit Edison Public School Academy, Loyola High School, Detroit Youth Sports Commission, and Boys & Girls Club of Southeastern Michigan, Fritz Pollard Alliance is committed to fostering a culture of inclusivity and excellence in sports.

The Fritz Pollard Alliance is named after Fritz Pollard, who became the NFL's first Black head coach when he led the Akron Pros in 1921. His historic and trailblazing accomplishments earned him a place in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2005. The Alliance was founded in 2003 by attorneys Johnnie Cochran and Cyrus Mehri to advance diversity of coaches and executives in the NFL. Today, the NFL has nine minority head coaches; eight minority general managers and six team presidents. 

Members of the media are invited to attend the Fritz Pollard Alliance Academy Draft Breakfast to witness this historic, invitation only event.

Event Details:

Date: Friday, April 26, 2024
Time: 8:00 a.m.
Location: International Banquet & Conference Center, 400 Monroe Street, 8th Floor,
Detroit, MI 48226

SOURCE Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation