On Thursday, the Denver Broncos added another talented executive to the team when they hired Damani Leech as their new team president.
Leech was a star defensive back for the Princeton Tigers and a three-time first-team All-Ivy League selection. After graduating from Princeton in 1998, he began his 17-year career at the NCAA as an intern, eventually rising to become its Managing Directory of Championships.
From there, Leech moved to the NFL where he quickly rose up the executive ranks.
As the COO of NFL International from 2019-2022, he oversaw all of the NFL’s international operations in markets such as Australia, Africa, Brazil, Canada, China and Mexico.
Now, with over 25 years of collegiate and professional sports experience, Damani Leech is the Broncos’ new team president.
“It is a tremendous honor to join Broncos Country during such an exciting time for one of the premiere franchises in all of sports,” Leech said in a statement. “Greg and the other partners are visionary leaders, and the trust they have shown in me is deeply humbling. I’m thrilled to support our world-class ownership, leadership team and staff on this journey to drive innovation and growth throughout every area of the Denver Broncos.”
Leech is the fourth Black team president in NFL history, joining Jason Wright (Washington Football Team), Sashi Brown (Baltimore Ravens) and Sandra Douglass Morgan (Las Vegas Raiders).
“As we sought to identify a dynamic, forward-thinking and inspiring leader to guide the Broncos into this exciting new chapter, Damani stood out among several very qualified candidates,” said team owner and CEO, Greg Penner. “There was a high degree of interest in this opportunity with the Broncos, which speaks to the reputation of this organization and Damani’s strong credentials.”
When you look at the Broncos, you realize they have one of the, if not the, most diverse leadership groups in the league.
They have three high-profile Black owners in Mellody Hobson, Condoleezza Rice and Lewis Hamilton, and one of their majority owners, Carrie Walton Penner, is a woman. Now their new team president is Black and the most important position on the field is helmed by one of the best in the game, Russell Wilson.
If the league were smart, they would use Denver as a case study to showcase how diversity works.
