Well now, I reckon you’re wonderin’ how many Mexicans are playin’ in the NFL, huh? You’d think there’d be a whole bunch of ‘em, what with all the talk about how many Mexican folks love football. But when you start lookin’ at the numbers, it ain’t as many as you’d expect, that’s for sure.
From what I can gather, only a handful of players in the NFL really claim Mexican roots. I mean, in 2021, there were just 12 Latino players in the whole league. That’s barely a smidge, less than 1% of the whole bunch of ’em! And considering how many folks in America are Latino, you’d think there’d be a lot more, right? It don’t seem to match up when you think about it.
So, why is that? Well, it ain’t like there ain’t talent. Some of the best players in history, like Tom Fears, the first Mexican-born fella to make it to the NFL, paved the way. And then there’s Raul Allegre, a Mexican fella who even won a Super Bowl! Ain’t that somethin’? You got folks like Isaac Alarcón, who’s still tryin’ to make a name for himself. These folks showed that Mexicans can play ball just like anyone else.
But here’s the thing: the numbers are still low. We got a big population of Latino folks, but you don’t see that reflected much in the NFL. Why’s that? Well, there’s a lotta reasons, but one big one is probably the lack of opportunities. Football ain’t always the first sport that comes to mind in some of them communities. You get baseball or soccer sometimes, and folks might not see football as their way to make it big.
Now, don’t go thinkin’ there ain’t no Mexicans in the NFL, because that ain’t true. There’s folks like Mark Sanchez, who used to be a quarterback for the New York Jets, the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Washington Redskins. He’s a well-known name in the football world. Then, there’s John Skelton, who’s also part-Mexican, and played for the Arizona Cardinals. They may not be the biggest stars, but they still made it. And that’s somethin’ to be proud of!
The Dallas Cowboys and the Mexican connection
Now, I gotta tell ya, a lot of folks don’t know this, but the Dallas Cowboys have a special place in the hearts of many Mexican folks. You see, Dallas, Texas, is home to a big Latino community, and that team is practically the pride of the whole state. You don’t gotta be from Texas to be a Cowboys fan, but it sure helps if you’re a Mexican fella or gal. They love ‘em down there, and it’s no wonder why.
But back to the main point, which is just how many Mexicans are in the NFL. As of 2023, there’s still only a few that really stand out. In fact, there was a study back in 2017 that said only about 2% of NFL players were Latino, which isn’t a whole lot when you think about it. That number hasn’t grown much since then. But, hey, there’s always hope that things might change, and more Mexican folks might find their way into the game.
Now, I know what you’re probably thinkin’. With all the people talkin’ about diversity in sports these days, it seems like there should be more opportunities for Latino players. And I reckon there will be. It just takes time. You gotta remember, sometimes these things don’t change overnight.
What’s the future look like?
Well, in the future, I reckon we might see more Mexican players in the NFL, but it’s gonna take work. There’s gotta be more young folks from Mexico and Mexican-American families who see football as a way to make it. And there’s gotta be programs that give ’em the chance to show what they can do. Maybe in a few years, we’ll be talkin’ about a whole bunch of Mexican players out there making a name for themselves.
In the meantime, though, we can look at the few who’ve come before and see how far they’ve gotten. It’s not a lot, but every little bit counts. If more young Mexicans get into the game, who knows? Maybe one day we’ll see a whole new wave of ’em taking the field and showin’ everyone what they’re made of.
So, there ya go. That’s the story of how many Mexicans are in the NFL. It’s not a whole lot, but it’s a start. And with any luck, that number will grow over time.
Tags：[NFL, Mexican Players, Latinos in Football, Mark Sanchez, Raul Allegre, Isaac Alarcón, Dallas Cowboys, Mexican NFL Players, NFL Diversity, Hispanic Athletes]
