Olympic great Dawes joins Falcons ownership

Last updated: 2024/05/22 at 6:20 PM

BigP Published May 22, 2024

Marc Raimondi, ESPN Staff WriterMay 21, 2024, 05:27 PM ET

American gymnastics great Dominique Dawes is one of four new limited partners to the Atlanta Falcons ownership group, team majority owner Arthur Blank announced Tuesday.

Dawes, former Walgreens CEO Rosalind Brewer, film and television producer Will Packer, and venture capitalist Rashaun Williams were all approved by the NFL’s full ownership at the league meetings in Nashville, Tennessee, and will join the Falcons’ ownership group, pending the final closing of their agreements.

“Roz, Dominique, Will and Rashaun are impressive leaders who have made an impact in a variety of enterprises, while also building histories of success making a difference in the world around them and positively impacting people in ways that align very well with our core values,” Blank said in a statement.

Dawes, 47, was a member of the United States gymnastics team for a decade and a three-time Olympian. She was a member of the U.S. gold medal-winning “Magnificent Seven” team in the 1996 Games in Atlanta.

Dawes is one of only three American gymnasts to compete in three Olympics and be part of three medal-winning squads.

“Throughout the course of my life, making an impact on others has always been my driving force,” Dawes said in a statement. “What I accomplished in 1996, winning America’s first team gold medal in gymnastics and as the first African-American to win gold, in the city of Atlanta, has given me, to this day, the greatest platform to continually inspire others. The unique opportunity Mr. Blank has provided enables me to further my positive impact on those in the Atlanta community, a place I hold near and dear to my heart. Having been a global ambassador for the United States, I hope that my platform and influence as one of the few African American women to be a limited partner in the National Football League has broad impact throughout the NFL community and beyond.”

Teams, the league office and the NFL’s finance committee vet any potential new limited partners before they go to a vote of the league’s 32 owners. The Falcons’ limited partners include former Atlanta and Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Warrick Dunn.