This season, the National Football League will honor the cultural heritage of players and coaching staffs through its NFL Heritage program, featuring all 32 teams.
In Weeks 7 and 8 of the 2023 season, more than 330 players and coaches will return to the field, donning international flag decals. These will be added to players’ helmets and coaches’ jackets, signifying the increasingly diverse range of nationalities and cultures within the League.
Fans will see 70+ nations and territories represented by athletes including Tua Tagovailoa, Fred Warner, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Puka Nacua, Chris Olave, DJ Moore, Jimmy Garoppolo, Aaron Jones, Efe Obada and Jordan Mailata, among others, as well as coaching staff across 17 clubs including Bill Belichick, Arthur Smith, Ron Rivera, Brian Daboll and more.
Peter O’Reilly, the NFL’s executive vice president of club business, international and events, expressed pride in the NFL Heritage Program, which allows players and coaches to honor their backgrounds. He emphasized that the program is part of the NFL’s ongoing prioritization of global growth. O’Reilly stated, “This initiative enables us to celebrate the various heritages, families, and cultures that constitute the league’s fabric. It also highlights the expanding global influence and reach of both the sport of football and the NFL.”
Participants have the option to wear a flag representing a country or territory where they have lived for over two years or where their relatives were born. Alongside the American flag, these flag decals will be worn by the players, enabling them to showcase their backgrounds for the rest of the season.
Nacua, the wide receiver for the Los Angeles Rams, recently shared, “My grandmother was born and raised in Samoa and sadly passed away in 2021.” He plans to honor his Samoan heritage by displaying the Samoan flag on his helmet. “Being able to represent our family’s roots and feeling as if my grandmother is with me on the field is an amazing experience. I’m proud to play for our Samoan fan base and hopefully, I can inspire future Samoan athletes,” said Nacua.
Rivera, head coach of the Washington Commanders, expressed his pride in his heritage. He stated, “I am immensely proud of my background and it gives me great pleasure to represent both Puerto Rico and Mexico through the NFL Heritage program. This is an outstanding way to demonstrate the love of the game to a global audience.”
The complete list of participating players and coaches, alongside countries or territories they are representing, can be found here.
