 defensive end Stansly Maponga says he has made history after securing an ownership stake in the iconic Dallas Cowboys franchise.){kind=link}
By Zim Sport Live Writer
Zimbabwe-born former National Football League (NFL) defensive end Stansly Maponga says he has made history after securing an ownership stake in the iconic Dallas Cowboys franchise.
Maponga announced the development on his Instagram page on March 9, saying he had been unanimously approved as an owner of the NFL team.
“Today, I stand before you with a heart full of gratitude and tears of joy—to have been unanimously approved as an owner of the Dallas Cowboys,” Maponga wrote.
The landmark deal makes Maponga the first Zimbabwean-born individual to own a stake in an NFL franchise, marking another milestone in his trailblazing career.
The former defensive end has already broken barriers for Zimbabwe in American football. In 2013, he became the first Zimbabwean ever drafted into the NFL when the Atlanta Falcons selected him in the fifth round (153rd overall) of the NFL Draft after his college career at Texas Christian University.
Since then Nate Landman and TJ Maguranyanga have gone on to follow in his footsteps.
“I am the first Zimbabwean NFL player, first Zimbabwean drafted, and now first Zimbabwean-born NFL owner—not because I am extraordinary, but because I refused to let anyone define what was possible,” Maponga wrote.
During his NFL career, Maponga spent time with the Atlanta Falcons and the New York Giants, appearing in 26 regular-season games and recording eight tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, two quarterback hits and two fumble recoveries.
In 2017, the Cowboys signed him to their practice squad, although he did not make the active roster. He later had a brief stint with the Denver Broncos before continuing his career in other leagues, including the XFL with the Seattle Dragons and the Canadian Football League with the Ottawa Redblacks.
Maponga also thanked several key figures involved in the NFL ownership structure, including Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, for their support.
However, neither the Dallas Cowboys nor the NFL have publicly confirmed Maponga’s ownership claim, and no major US sports outlet has independently verified the announcement.
The timing of Maponga’s claim comes after a major shift in the NFL’s ownership rules. In August 2024, team owners voted 31–1 to approve Resolution JC-7, allowing private equity investors to purchase up to 10% of an NFL franchise for the first time.
If his claim is confirmed, Maponga’s journey—from a Zimbabwean-born player who briefly featured on the Cowboys’ practice squad to an investor in one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world—would represent a remarkable chapter in Zimbabwe’s growing sporting footprint on the global stage.