The NFL has named Mielle Organics, a popular Black-founded and woman-led brand, as its first official textured hair care partner. The partnership is a landmark moment that blends beauty, sports, and the enduring cultural influence of women.
“We’re honored to be the first textured hair partner of the NFL through our partnership with P&G,” Founder and CEO Monique Rodriguez said, according to Essence.
She added, “This moment means everything. When I started Mielle at my kitchen table, I couldn’t have imagined partnering with an organization as iconic as the NFL. To see textured-haircare represented on a stage where women—especially women of color—have been present but not always centered is a full-circle moment for me and for our community.”
Brand President Omar Goff described the partnership as both historic and overdue. “This partnership is a historic moment for Mielle and for the textured-hair community,” he explains. “To become the first textured-haircare brand to partner with the NFL—an organization whose audience is now nearly half women—is powerful.”
READ ALSO: How Monique Rodriguez launched a multimillion-dollar company after losing her son
He continued, “As a brand built by and for women of color, stepping into a space where women’s presence and influence are rapidly expanding feels aligned and overdue.”
Rodriguez and Goff have always been deeply connected to football, making Mielle’s partnership with the NFL more than just symbolic—it’s practical. Athletes with textured hair endure significant challenges, including intense sweat, friction, dryness, and breakage while wearing helmets. Mielle addressed these specific conditions by formulating performance-ready products.
“Beauty and sports are both about confidence, performance, and preparation,” Goff says. “Whether you’re on the field or in the stands, how you feel influences how you show up. We’re bridging the gap expanding education and access to high performing products through athletics.”
According to Rodriguez, beauty is an important element well before the game starts. She noted, “For so many of us, football is about family and community. It means attending cookouts and tailgates, reconnecting with loved ones, and wearing your favorite team’s colors.”
Rodriguez highlighted that, for millions of fans, this preparation also includes twisting, braiding, and caring for their textured hair before kickoff.
Mielle’s partnership with the NFL was a natural fit, aligning with Mielle’s long-standing commitment to uplifting women of color and the NFL’s current push to amplify women—including female executives, players’ families, and the growing female viewership.
This groundbreaking opportunity for women with textured hair came together through shared intention and Mielle joining P&G’s Head & Shoulders, an existing NFL partner of over a decade.
The next phase, according to Goff, promises increased visibility and new opportunities for storytelling. “We will be highlighting female voices, including players’ family members and women leaders throughout the league,” Goff explains.
READ ALSO: Black-owned beauty brand Mielle Organics becomes WNBA’s first textured hair care partner
“Simultaneously, we’re leveraging this partnership to strengthen our bond with men—both players and fans—who also need textured-hair products and deserve to see themselves represented in this category. We aim for men to view Mielle as a reliable brand that supports their grooming needs with equal attention and expertise.”
Mielle’s first-ever NFL partnership launched with a social-first “Passing the Phone” campaign. This viral moment featured various figures—including players, executives, agents, families, and on-air talent—all celebrating authentic self-expression both on and off the field.
While this marks Mielle’s NFL debut, the brand has a significant history in sports.
This includes major partnerships like those with the WNBA and the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, as well as support for several HBCU athletic programs. Specific examples of their HBCU support include Hampton University Basketball, Howard University Swim & Dive, Florida A&M Cheer, and North Carolina A&T Track.
