Several outlets publish a compiled list of the “10 most influential women” in the NFL for the 2026 season, reflecting women’s roles across the league and its wider ecosystem. The pieces note that the NFL’s progress includes milestones dating back decades.
Both sources cite the hiring of Connie Carberg by the New York Jets about 50 years ago, describing her as the first woman to serve as an NFL scout. After that breakthrough, the articles say women continue to influence the league through a range of positions, including team ownership and executive leadership, roles in media, and work in officiating.
The two reports presented here share the same framing and wording in their provided summaries, offering similar context rather than contrasting specific details. Because only high-level descriptions are available, the exact criteria used for “influential” and the individual names included in the list are not specified in the shared excerpts.
