Of course, that type of logic is counterproductive and completely beside the point, what with the racial discrimination lawsuit filed by a former Black head coach and alleging that the NFLs ownership is colluding to keep teams head coaches as white as possible. Doug Whaley says this could too. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. Edwards spent eight seasons as a head coach in the NFL, running the Jets (2001-2005) and Chiefs (2006-2008). He was also named assistant head coach of the Jaguars for the 2012 season, according to the Pro Football History website. As of the time that this list was published, Morris was seen as a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy. Just 25 of them have been Black. There are just 32 NFL head coaching jobs, six or seven become vacant every year. He was also a terrific running back, earning All-America honors in 1916 while playing for Brown University. The league and the teams deny his claims, but Dragon isn't convinced. He says that change is even happening in his sports business classes. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? 1. Revisiting Dolphins scandal, Pollard became the first Black coach in NFL history when he was named co-coach of the Akron Pros in 1921. Exactly. The Rooney Rule was enacted in 2003 as part of the NFL's plan to "develop a deep, sustainable talent pool at all levels of the organization" and "increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager and executive positions.". That's something Doug Whaley, the former NFL GM we met earlier, learned in his career. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. Which again, through experience, I've learned those are the key indicators for success. newsone.com. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. James Franklin (Penn State coach) So far, the best bet to be the first Black coach to win an FBS national championship remains Franklin, whose Nittany Lions will likely enter the season as a . It was when the GM above me and I was the assistant GM, he decided to retire, that decision maker was there in meetings with me, was there socially, professionally, and he understood that I could do the job. That makes grand total of three in a 32-team league where 60% of players are Black. The next year he was fired after starting the season 5-10. Bowles has coached the Dolphins (2011) and Jets (2015-2018), and he is the current coach of the Buccaneers. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. Del Alexander. Tomlin was 10-6 in his first season and is still in Pittsburgh. Emmitt Thomas. Herman Herm Edwards, largely seen as a mentor to many current and former NFL players, coached the New York Jets from 2001-2005 and the Kansas City Chiefs from 2006 to 2008, according to the Pro Football Reference website. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. The league has even gone to such drastic measures as partnering with rap legend JAY Z in the name of entertainment and social justice as a way to help accomplish its evasive mission. In that time, they hired two head coaches. We did a lot of reporting on this in the fall, and you had some people who basically suspected that a lot of it stems from playing positions. Like our content? And to Alexis Gustin and Shannon Ray Green for their production assistance. Joseph only lasted two seasons and finished with an 11-21 record. Tucker was the interim head coach of the Jaguars for the last five games of the 2011 season. There are just SIX head coaches of color out of 32 in a league with a 70% non-white player base. NFC Head Coaches Arizona Cardinals | Jonathan Gannon* Atlanta Falcons | Arthur Smith Carolina Panthers | Frank Reich* Chicago Bears | Matt Eberflus Dallas Cowboys | Mike McCarthy Detroit Lions | Dan Campbell Green Bay Packers | Matt LaFleur Los Angeles Rams | Sean McVay Minnesota Vikings | Kevin O'Connell New Orleans Saints | Dennis Allen That's USA Today's Tom Schad, he's part of the NFL Coach's Project, USA Today's ongoing series analyzing the demographics of football coaches. All three have had very successful careers while . Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Tony Dungy has been coaching in the NFL for more than 40 years, including when he landed his first head coaching gig in 1996 with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, which he led for 13 seasons. Vance Joseph, who was the head coach for the Denver Broncos for the 2017 and 2018 seasons and is reportedly a candidate for the Miami Dolphins head coaching job that was left vacant after Brian Flores was fired. 12. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. Over the next few days and weeks, multiple teams will be conducting interviews to fill their head coaching vacancies. Check out the FULL list below! The NFL wants more, or so . After announcing his retirement from coaching after the 2021 season, Payton has returned to the NFL and will be the Broncos' 19th head coach in franchise history. During his entire head coaching career, his two teams combined for a record of 37-42-1 across five seasons including going 1-2-0 in the playoffs, according to the Pro Football History website. Lewis was 8-8 his first season. He coached the Raiders from 1989-1994, then returned to the team for one season in 2006. Tyler Dragon, sports reporter at USA Today says things played out differently than expected. After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. Tomlin has been the coach of the Steelers since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Bill Belichick. We should be able to have a system where the best person for the job gets hired, not the person you know the best. Raheem Morris was an NFL head coach with two separate teams from 2009 to 2020, including leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011, with the first three seasons of that tenure including double-duty as the teams defensive coordinator. Now-former Head Coach Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins talks with an official during a game against the Tennessee Titans at Nissan Stadium on January 2, 2022, in Nashville, Tennessee. Caldwell was only in Detroit for four seasons, but the Lions made two postseason appearances under him. There were three Black head coaches in the NFL when the Rooney Rule took effect, and the league hasn't made a ton of progress toward its goals in the years since. Email me at jabrown@usatoday.com, or leave me a message at (585) 484-0339. Jackson, who is the current coach of Grambling State, was the head coach of the Raiders (2011) and Browns (2016-2018). Mike Tomlin, who, as of the time of this list being published, was the lone Black head coach in the NFL, has led the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons since 2007. So what's happening here? There is an old boys network and there's a network where you're going to really protect and promote your own. He was replaced by Jim Harbaugh. 'Dilbert' Comic Creator Calls Black People A 'Hate Group,' Urges Segregation So Whites Can 'Escape', Bernie Mac Show Star Camille Winbush Is Not Ashamed Of Joining OnlyFans, Kyle Rittenhouse Faces 2nd Civil Lawsuit, Continues To Beg For Money From His Supporters, Ben Stein's 'Aunt Jemima' Rant Is A Master Class On White Privilege, Why Did tWitch Kill Himself? Other active head coaches to have won a Super Bowl are Mike Tomlin, John Harbaugh, Pete Carroll, Mike McCarthy, Sean Payton, Doug Pederson, Andy Reid, and Sean McVay. The fact is that Flores claims are hardly unique and help bolster critics suspicions that the NFL is intentionally trying to keep its head coaching ranks as white as possible despite the leagues so-called Rooney Rule, a policy that requires teams to interview at least one diverse candidate when looking to hire new coaches. During his three seasons as head coach, Rhule had five different starters Teddy Bridgewater, PJ Walker, Sam Darnold, Cam Newton, and Baker Mayfield. Thank you for subscribing! Mike Tomlin, who, as of the time of this list being published, was the lone Black head coach in the NFL, has led the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 seasons since 2007. Let's take a look back at the Black coaches who have been able to rise up the ranks, starting with the trailblazer who broke the NFL's color barrier more than 100 years ago. What's in it for interims? With all the controversy surrounding the NFL and its alleged efforts at diversifying head coaching around the professional football league, its worth putting things in their proper perspective for folks who may be shrugging and wondering what the big deal is. The Houston Texans broughtCulley in to clean up the mess that Bill OBrien left after he underachieved with J.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, and DeAndre Hopkins on top of trading Hopkins and getting into it with Watt. One Black coach, 33 years after Art Shell broke the modern era head coaching color barrier with the Raiders. He is a former NFL player whose professional career spanned from 1986 to 1993. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. Green served as the head coach of the Vikings for 10 seasons (1992-2001), earning a playoff berth eight times. He's accusing teams including the New York Giants and Denver Broncos of conducting sham interviews with him last year. He went 36-30 during his tenure and has been replaced by a litany of coaches that havent been able to get the Lions to sniff the playoffs since he was fired. Hello, and welcome to Five Things. For perspectives sake, the NFL entered Black History Month 2022 with just one single Black head coach despite its vow a decade earlier to increase diversity among its head and assistant coaches. In nine seasons in Chicago, Smith was 84-66 and made three postseason appearances including losing Super Bowl XLI to the Colts in the only matchup thats ever featured two Black coaches. filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL claiming there is racial discrimination in the hiring process, the NFL is an organization akin to slavery,, Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History, According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame website, according to the Pro Football History website, according to the pro football hall of fame website, according to the Pro Football Reference website, coached the Cincinnati Bengals for 16 seasons from 2003 to 2018, named interim head coach of theAtlanta Falcons in the middle of the 2007 season, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons, NFL head coach with two separate teams from 2009 to 2020, a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy, Leslie Frazier was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2010 to 2013, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job, head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season, Todd Bowles was a head coach in the NFL for five seasons, NFL head coach with two franchises for four seasons, Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing, Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams, reportedly a candidate for the Miami Dolphins head coaching job, Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He can move to number one with success during the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. I'll break it down to even more simpler terms. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski) Smith has been part of the Titans' staff since 2011 first as a quality control coach, then helping with tight ends, then coaching tight ends, and eventually replacing current Packers head coach Matt LaFleur as the team's offensive coordinator in 2019. Also, what's your assistant coach set up? Were they invited to lead your team? Caldwell was brought in after the Jim Schwartz (gym shorts) era ended with 4-12 and 7-9 seasons. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. He was replaced by Adam Gase, a guy that went 9-23 in two seasons. Jim Caldwell has been head coach for two different NFL franchises: the Indianapolis Colts from 2009 to 2011 and the Detroit Lions from 2014 to 2017. It is what it is and that's the system, but that doesn't mean that it should keep perpetuating that system. In the suit, Flores cites text messages from New England Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, who said he believed he was contacting Brian Daboll, another coach interviewing for the New York Giants head coaching position. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. If you have to do something, then you're going to be fully invested in it as something that you chose to do. Either way, Flores. Shane Steichen (left) and Jonathan Gannon will be among the top candidates in the next hiring cycle. He says that there's been some improvement with diversity in the coaching ranks. They have who they want to be their coordinators, to be their assistant coaches, in some cases, to be their quality control coaches, to be their equipment managers, to be their strength conditioning staff. Yeah, if I bought something for a billion dollars, which is the minimum going price these days, I'd want to be able to hire who I want to hire is what I'm thinking is going through these owners heads. The franchise was founded in 1960 by Lamar Hunt and were known as the Dallas Texans when the team was located in Dallas, Texas. The fact is that Flores claims are hardly unique and help bolster critics suspicions that the NFL is intentionally trying to keep its head coaching ranks as white as possible despite the leagues so-called Rooney Rule, a policy that requires teams to interview at least one diverse candidate when looking to hire new coaches. After a long career as an assistant with the Patriots, Flores got a chance to run his own team when the Dolphins came calling in 2019. 93% of running back's coaches in the NFL at the start of the season were coaches of color compared to something like 18% or something of quarterback's coaches. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. newsone.com. He had an aggregate record of 36-28, a winning percentage of .563 the best winning percentage of any Lions Head Coach since the 1950s, Flores lawsuit said in part. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. Herman Herm Edwards, largely seen as a mentor to many current and former NFL players, coached the New York Jets from 2001-2005 and the Kansas City Chiefs from 2006 to 2008, according to the Pro Football Reference website. The league has even gone to such drastic measures as partnering with rap legend JAY Z in the name of entertainment and social justice as a way to help accomplish its evasive mission. He compiled a 34-32 record in four seasons and was replaced by Brandon Stanley. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame website, During his pro football career the two-time All-America played and sometimes coached for four different NFL teams, the Pros/Indians (1920-21/1925-26), the Milwaukee Badgers (1922), the Hammond Pros (1923, 1925), and the Providence Steam Roller (1925)., It also added: In 1928, Pollard organized and coached the Chicago Black Hawks, an all-African American professional team based in the Windy City.. The NFL has historically had a problem with hiring black head coaches and all minority coaches for that matter, whether that be head coach, assistant coach, coordinators, and you can even go in the front office, GM, assistant GM, president player personnel. So you can look at different ways to judge minorities. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. These days, he runs a sports law program at Villanova University and hosts the Business of Sports podcast. He was also named assistant head coach of the Jaguars for the 2012 season, according to the Pro Football History website. Dungy later became the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets hired Edwards after they were 9-7 the year prior. As a player, Ryans was a two-time Pro Bowler and is still the Texans all-time tackles leader. It's true in business, it's true in life, and diversity only comes with some steps to increase representation and NFL is doing that. He went 2-3 in those games. The new wave of head-coaching hires in the NFL has seen a trend toward younger, offensive-minded leading men getting the top jobs. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. He led Indianapolis to the franchise's second Super Bowl title in 2006. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. Sports news website the Ringer reported that Flores was not fired because of his coaching but rather because of his troubled relationship with team owner Stephen Ross, a supporter of former President Donald Trump who has refuted claims of racial discrimination. Relationships play a big part too. On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast:5 Things Sunday Host James Brown explores the NFL's Rooney rule which requires teams to interview minority coaches and staff when positions like head coach, general manager, and coordinator positions open. If you like this show, write a review on Apple Podcast or wherever you're listening, and do me a favor, share it with a friend. I'll give you a quote from Bill Nunn, Hall of Fame scout from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the head personnel man for the 1974 draft that drafted four Hall of Famers is the gold standard of anybody in the personnel business. Interestingly enough, Caldwell was mentioned in Brian Flores lawsuit as an example of a Black NFL head coach who was fired in spite of the success he enjoyed. Raheem Morris was an NFL head coach with two separate teams from 2009 to 2020, including leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2009 to 2011, with the first three seasons of that tenure including double-duty as the teams defensive coordinator. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History And then I say, "Okay, well I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but I'm going to tell you before you spend your money, you have to go through this process." The team relocated to Kansas City, Missouri and were renamed the Chiefs in 1963. Tony Alford. Is it right, wrong or indifferent? He stuck around for 15 more and was 131-129-3, but never won a playoff game in seven trips. He went 21-38 across those four seasons. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. And since America loves to ignore blatant racism unless they can watch it on video or it can be quantified into numbers, Deadspin took a look at the plight of Black coaches in the NFL over the last 20-plus years. Flores finished 24-25 in three seasons with the Dolphins (2019-2021) and remains connected to the franchise. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. A lot of it is right place at the right time, a lot of it's knowing the right people, a lot of it is just hard work and accomplishments. He was replaced by Mangini who went 10-22 in two seasons. After inheriting a 4-12 team led by Greg Schiano, Smith only lasted two seasons after going 8-24. 12. He went 11-21 in 32 games. was originally published on Well . Singletary went 5-4 as the interim coach to finish out the season. Jackson was replaced by Dennis Allen, a coach that went 8-28 in 2.5 seasons. This in a league where seven out of ten players are minorities, and most of them black. Interestingly enough, Caldwell was mentioned in Brian Flores lawsuit as an example of a Black NFL head coach who was fired in spite of the success he enjoyed. When I look at the NFL landscape from top to bottom, they are really behind when it comes to diversity and inclusion. To date, he has a 162-93 record, is the youngest coach in league history to win a Super Bowl, has Pittsburgh in the playoffs for the tenth time in his tenure, and is the only coach in league history to begin his career with 15 straight non-losing seasons. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. He was fired 8 games into his third season and finished with a 3-36-1 record. In the meantime, keep reading to get familiar with the dozens of Black people who have worked as NFL head coaches in the leagues more than 100-year history. Of the five head . He has a 90-90-1 overall record through Week 6 of the 2022 season. Smith was replaced by Marc Trestman who only lasted two seasons and had a losing record. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. During his entire head coaching career, his two teams combined for a record of 89-87-0 across eleven seasons including going 3-3-0 in the playoffs, according to the Pro Football History website. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Former head coach: Nathaniel Hackett. I think that might be part of the answer to why it exists, but I certainly don't think it's the entire answer. A complete timeline of Black coaches, past and present, largely declined to hire those candidates, What happened to Brian Flores? He lasted three years in Indianapolis (2009-2011) before getting another opportunity in Detroit (2014-2017). Ray Rhodes coached in various NFL capacities for nearly 40 years, including a five-year run as head coach for the Philadelphia Eagles and later with the Green Bay Packers. He is embroiled in a lawsuit that he filed against multiple teams, including Miami, and the NFL for discriminatory hiring practices. Bowles went 10-6 in his first season and was 24-40 in his four years on the sidelines for the Jets. He has never had a losing season in his career, going 156-89-2 through Week 6 of the 2022 season. The fact is that Flores claims are hardly unique and help bolster critics suspicions that the NFL is intentionally trying to keep its head coaching ranks as white as possible despite the leagues so-called Rooney Rule, a policy that requires teams to interview at least one diverse candidate when looking to hire new coaches. 12. Either way, Flores. Green made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons in Minnesota, with his most memorable campaign coming in 1998. I think leadership's basic premise is can you get people to do things that they necessarily don't want to do just because of you? Lynn was the interim head coach of the Bills for one game in 2016 before becoming the head coach of the Chargers from 2017-2020. When he took over in Houston at age 73, he became the oldest head coach in NFL history. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. What's your familiarity, and what's your schemes? Thomas was named the interim head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and went 1-2 after Bobby Petrino's sudden resignation. Not only minorities, but people that are the decision makers. I think a lot of it is the underpinning of a lot of the reporting that we've done, which is just unconscious bias. from Todd Haley that season when he was let go after a 5-8 start. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? Contact The Promotions/Community Department, filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL claiming there is racial discrimination in the hiring process, the NFL is an organization akin to slavery,, Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History, According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame website, according to the Pro Football History website, according to the pro football hall of fame website, according to the Pro Football Reference website, coached the Cincinnati Bengals for 16 seasons from 2003 to 2018, named interim head coach of theAtlanta Falcons in the middle of the 2007 season, head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons, NFL head coach with two separate teams from 2009 to 2020, a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy, Leslie Frazier was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2010 to 2013, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job, head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season, Todd Bowles was a head coach in the NFL for five seasons, NFL head coach with two franchises for four seasons, Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing, Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams, reportedly a candidate for the Miami Dolphins head coaching job, Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins.

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