Dasha Smith, one of the highest-ranked women in all of sports, is leaving the NFL, multiple league sources said. The Athletic on Friday.
The sources spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly announce the resignation.
Smith, the league’s executive vice president and chief administrative officer since 2019, has overseen human resources, social responsibility, league office administration, data and analytics, and information technology. Until her resignation, announced Friday by commissioner Roger Goodell in a memo to staff, she was the only woman of color in the NFL’s C-suite.
“Dasha has been a valuable member of our senior leadership team, helping to modernize our operations, strengthen our organization and leadership, and advance our commitment to building a more inclusive League,” Goodell wrote in the memo obtained by The Athletic. “He has been a trusted partner to me and leaders across the League and our clubs, and I am grateful for his contributions, advice and dedication.”
Smith also chaired several league committees, among them the social justice committee and the compensation committee, which set Goodell’s compensation. Goodell agreed to a four-year contract extension last month.
Smith also helped with the league’s diversity and efforts. He helped create and tweak the league’s Accelerator Program for minority coaches and executives.
Smith’s departure leaves EVP of football operations Troy Vincent as the only person of color in the NFL’s C-suite. Chief revenue officer Renie Anderson and chief financial officer Christine Dorfler are the remaining women at the top of the league office.
A graduate of Georgetown University, Smith earned his law degree from the University of Virginia. He previously served as global chief HR officer for Sony Music Entertainment. sources said The Athletic that Smith is likely to stay in the sports and entertainment industry in his next step.