Will Packer knows a thing or two about spotting a good story. With films like “Ride Along,” “Think Like a Man,” and “Stomp the Yard,” he’s turned everyday moments into box-office gold, built characters we root for, and created cultural blueprints that stick. But when the call came offering a confidential shot at owning a piece of an NFL team — no details, no guarantees — this wasn’t a plot twist in a film. This was real life.

And it didn’t come with a pitch deck or press release. It came with a non-disclosure agreement and the vaguest of possibilities.

“I said, NFL? National Food League?” Packer joked. “Because I know the NFL doesn’t just let people in.”

The terms? Mysterious. The team? Unknown. The risk? High. But Packer signed the NDA anyway.

That moment — unflashy, uncertain, but undeniably bold — set off a chain of events that would lead him not just into the NFL ownership circle but into a growing movement to rewrite what power and equity look like in professional sports.

Fast forward to the current day, and Packer found himself on stage at the Black Ownership in Sports Symposium in March, held in Atlanta, GA, and hosted by Diverse Representation. Packer unpacked it all. Not just the deal. The vision. The purpose. The weight. Because for him, this wasn’t about being “let in.” It was about showing up on purpose, bringing the culture with him, and now inspiring a group of others to tap into sports ownership as well.

He Didn’t Know The Team, But He Knew His Value

When Packer’s longtime manager Shayla Cowan brought him the opportunity — an inside track into NFL ownership via a reputable contact from the Obama administration — he did what most people in his position wouldn’t: He paused, listened and said yes without knowing what team he was investing in.

“I didn’t know if I was going to be flying out to Seattle every weekend,” he joked on stage. “But there was something about it that felt real. So I bit.”

What made him sign wasn’t hype — it was alignment. The people behind the deal were sharp. The intention felt authentic. And the access? Historic.

Months later, when the team was revealed to be the Atlanta Falcons, it clicked. It wasn’t just full circle — it was purpose meeting preparation in the heart of Black excellence.

The Falcons, The Quad, And What Real Ownership Looks Like

Packer is part of a collective of limited partners who have coined themselves The Quad, alongside investor Rashaun Williams, business executive Rosalind “Roz” Brewer, and Olympic icon Dominique Dawes. It’s not a ceremonial title. It’s a seat at the table.

“I’m not calling plays, but I’m in the rooms where decisions are being made,” Packer said. “We talk about stadium operations. Financials. Community engagement. It’s real.”

What he brings is more than business savvy — it’s a deep understanding of audience, culture, and brand loyalty.

“The NFL is consumer-facing, just like Hollywood,” Packer explained. “You have to know how to reach people. How to make them feel seen. How to bring them back again and again.”

And perhaps more importantly, he brings presence.

“I can walk into a room of young Black kids and say what I do. And they can say, ‘He looks like me. And he owns a team.’ That’s power.”

Responding To The DEI Backlash

Packer didn’t sidestep the backlash to DEI efforts. He ran through it — head high, numbers in hand.

“I’ve got 10 No. 1 movies,” he told the crowd. “Not No. 1 Black movies — No. 1, period.”

He knows the argument: that inclusion equals lowered standards. And he’s clear — that’s a myth built to protect mediocre gatekeeping.

“We’ve always had to be twice as good, which means we’re often five times as prepared.”

His strategy? Show up undeniable. “Make the bottom line your bottom line,” he said in an exclusive conversation with AFROTECH™. “You silence critics by being excellent. Period.”

Advocates, Not Just Allies

Talent and timing matter. But access requires advocacy.

“There’s a chapter in my book called ‘All You Need Is One (White) Guy,’” Packer said about his book, “Who Better Than You? The Art of Healthy Arrogance & Dreaming Big.” He continued, “It’s tongue-in-cheek, but it’s real. Everyone needs someone to advocate for them when they’re not in the room.”

For him, that person was Arthur Blank — the Falcons’ principal owner. Packer explains why Blank didn’t need to diversify his ownership group. But he chose to.

“That’s what intentional leadership looks like,” Packer said. “He didn’t just talk about equity — he made room for it.”

Why The Black Ownership In Sports Symposium Matters

Packer’s remarks came during the Black Ownership in Sports Symposium, a convening of investors, changemakers, and aspiring owners curated by Jaia Thomas, founder of Diverse Representation. But this wasn’t a motivational conference — it was a masterclass in strategy and access.

“For me, Atlanta is the Mecca of Black entrepreneurship,” Thomas told AFROTECH™. “It made perfect sense to host this here, in a city where Black ownership is already thriving. But this event is about pulling back the curtain and giving our community actionable tools.”

Thomas, a seasoned sports and entertainment attorney, launched Diverse Representation after witnessing numerous instances of Black athletes being represented by all-white teams — agents, managers, publicists, and lawyers. What began as a simple database has evolved into a national platform.

From bootcamps to legal workshops to the upcoming launch of National Black Women in Sports Day, Diverse Representation is doing more than talking about access. It’s building infrastructure for it.

“We’re not just hosting panels,” she said. “We’re creating programs where people leave with what they need to take the next step toward ownership. Tangible. Tactical. Transformative.”

Not Just A Moment — A Model For The Future

Will Packer’s journey into NFL ownership isn’t about flexing. It’s about modeling what it looks like when cultural credibility meets business readiness. It’s about taking risks when the vision’s still blurry. It’s about trusting your name, your brand, and your body of work to open the next door.

“What if we showed people that owning the team is just as aspirational as playing for it?” Packer asked. “There are folks in those skyboxes that look like us now. And that’s how you shift a system.”

Because visibility is no longer the goal, ownership is. Access isn’t just about being in the room. It’s about building new rooms — and bringing others with you.