Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. Shell was the first Black head coach in the modern era of the NFL. 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. But as we see now, just like anything, people that have children and even to yourself, when someone says you have to do something, you're obviously automatically going to have a bias towards it. 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. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. Cliff Anderson (American football) Darren Arbet. Dirk Koetter replaced Smith and wasnt much better, as Tampa Bay didnt get good again until Bruce Arians showed up in 2019. He is the current running backs coach for the Dolphins. There are just 32 NFL head coaching jobs, six or seven become vacant every year. Mike Tomlin, Mike McDaniel, Todd Bowles, Lovie Smith, and interim head coach Steve Wilkes. 1. I had access to the decision maker and the decision maker saw how I worked, how I thought, how I interacted with people, and how I led. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. One Black coach, 33 years after Art Shell broke the modern era head coaching color barrier with the Raiders. Del Alexander. I think a lot of it is the underpinning of a lot of the reporting that we've done, which is just unconscious bias. Jacksons second stint as an NFL head coach was atrocious as he was 1-31 in his first two seasons in Cleveland. Perry Fewell was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills for a single season in 2019. Only one head coach in the last seven years. That's why I didn't have to do the interview. All Rights Reserved. Is it because the NFL is an organization akin to slavery, like blacklisted free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick said after he was effectively excommunicated from the league following his silent kneeling protest to demonstrate against the police brutality of Black people? Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. Below is a look at every Black coach thats been hired since then and a snapshot of their story. Thomas was named the interim head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and went 1-2 after Bobby Petrino's sudden resignation. 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. Just 25 of them have been Black. 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. Marvin Lewis, who coached the Cincinnati Bengals for 16 seasons from 2003 to 2018, is among the current and former NFL coaches who have denounced the league for racial injustices and told NBC Sports that Black coaches have been getting sham interviews like those alleged by Brian Flores for years. That brings the total head-coaching jobs available to six, as the Las Vegas Raiders (Jon Gruden), Jacksonville Jaguars (Urban Meyer) and Denver Broncos (Vic Fangio) had fired their HCs prior to Black Monday. 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 . Andrew Brandt would know. Tenure: Four-plus seasons (71 games). Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. 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. His teams won division titles four times and advanced to NFC Championship Games after the 1998 and 2000 seasons, the team wrote on its website. 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.". Lewis was 8-8 his first season. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. Of the five head . Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. 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. This in a league where seven out of ten players are minorities, and most of them black. Schad interviewed Herm Edwards, he played in the NFL in the seventies and eighties. He is the current running backs coach for the 49ers. He is a former NFL player whose professional career spanned from 1986 to 1993. Flores finished 24-25 in three seasons with the Dolphins (2019-2021) and remains connected to the franchise. We may earn a commission from links on this page. He coached the Raiders from 1989-1994, then returned to the team for one season in 2006. He lost his single game with Buffalo and finished 33-31 with Los Angeles. John Allen (American football) Lamar Allen. Which again, through experience, I've learned those are the key indicators for success. Ron Aiken. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. In all, Dungy has a head coaching record of 148-79-0 and won the regular season games he coached at a rate of nearly 70%, according to the pro football hall of fame website. I think there's some basic qualities you look for. 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. Flores was fired on Monday despite leading the Dolphins to seven straight wins in the second half. Either way, Flores. Dungy later became the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He was replaced by Vic Fangio who was fired on Sunday. Our recent USA Today sports analysis found that in the last 20 years, about four white coaches were hired for every coach of color. Eventually he became head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000s. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. 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. Thank you for subscribing! 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. As of the time that this list was published, Morris was seen as a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy. What do you think of the show? Green made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons in Minnesota, with his most memorable campaign coming in 1998. He was replaced by Adam Gase, a guy that went 9-23 in two seasons. Lovie Smith was a head coach with the Chicago Bears for eleven seasons from 2004 to 2012 before he was hired as thehead coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 2014to2015. And Terry Robiskie served as an interim head coach in Washington as the interim position would be the highest level he ever reached in his career. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. Of course, that type of logic is counterproductive and completely beside the point, what with the new 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. Tomlin showed up in Pittsburgh after Bill Cowher was 8-8 in his final season and one year removed from winning a Super Bowl. 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. Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. The NFL's 32 teams began the season in full on Sunday with only three Black head coaches and two Black general managers in a league where the players are roughly 70% Black. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. 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. (At the time, it was called the American Professional Football Association.). Hubbard Alexander. Over the next few days and weeks, multiple teams will be conducting interviews to fill their head coaching vacancies. Brian Flores, who used to be head coach of the Miami Dolphins, filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL claiming there is racial discrimination in the hiring process. In 2000, there were three Black coaches in the league. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. The year before, Norv Turner was 4-12, and the year after Shell left, Lane Kiffin was 4-12 in his first season. 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. 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. Pittsburghs Mike Tomlin and Houstons David Culley are the lone Black head coaches in a league thats over 70 percent Black. The following year the team was 11-5 and Smith won Coach of the Year. Dungy enjoyed a Hall of Fame career from 1996-2008, racking up 139 wins and 69 losses across 13 seasons with the Buccaneers and Colts. He was named the AP Coach of the Year in 2009. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. Mostly, Pollard would see the work and sacrifice he and other Black coaches have made wasn't. Flores still has upcoming interviews for head coaching positions with at least two other teams, so, considering the public relations fiasco that his lawsuit is, chances are that pressure will result in him being hired. 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. I'm proud to report today, my classes are basically 50/50. He was then hired full-time and was 8-8 in his lone full season. Todd Bowles Starting our list on number 20 is the NFL franchise head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Bowles. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. 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 Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin and the Tampa Buccaneers' Todd Bowles are the only current Black NFL head coaches. Former NFL executives Andrew Brandt and Doug Whaley, and USA TODAY sports reporters Tom Schad and Tyler Dragon give their insights on the process of hiring coaches and executives in today's NFL. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. He was also named assistant head coach of the Jaguars for the 2012 season, according to the Pro Football History website. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. Suicide Note Revealed After Shocking Death, Indicted! Brian Flores, who used to be the head coach of the Miami Dolphins, filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL claiming there is racial discrimination in the hiring process. What's the setup of their operation? It was a positive thing. That is something that never seems to get noticed when we talk about the Rooney Rule. Emmitt Thomas was named interim head coach of theAtlanta Falcons in the middle of the 2007 season after a sudden resignation left the position vacant. He is embroiled in a lawsuit that he filed against multiple teams, including Miami, and the NFL for discriminatory hiring practices. This revelation meant Flores upcoming interview with the Giants was a sham because they had already hired their next head coach, who is not Black. Don Shula holds the current records for regular season wins at 328 and combined regular and postseason wins at 347. In his lone season as Kansas Citys head coach, he went 2-14 and was replaced by Andy Reid. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. And while that happens, the lack of Black coaches will be the most discussed talking point. Whaley is part of a group that launched One Global Culture Events, which helped minority candidates in pro sports connect with upper management. If they truly want to change the system or if not, then we realize that they're just given it lip service. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. All Rights Reserved. 20 Black NFL Coaches 20. He was replaced by Mangini who went 10-22 in two seasons. 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. All Rights Reserved. During a nearly 40-year career coaching in the NFL, Robiskie was named an interim head coach twice once during the2000 season for the then-Washington Redskins and then during the 2004 season with the Cleveland Browns, according to the Pro Football History website. Last year, Ryan served as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers who had one of the best defenses in the league. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. It is what it is and that's the system, but that doesn't mean that it should keep perpetuating that system. Green served as the head coach of the Vikings for 10 seasons (1992-2001), earning a playoff berth eight times. Notably, Jackson responded to Flores lawsuit by claiming he was subjected to similar treatment described in the complaint. Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Emmanuel Sanders. 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. What's your systems? The league and the teams deny his claims, but Dragon isn't convinced. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History Shane Steichen (left) and Jonathan Gannon will be among the top candidates in the next hiring cycle. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. 4. MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. The thinking basically went there are lots of black men who played running back, so when they transition to coaching, that's the position they know, it's the easiest way to get into the business. Were they invited to lead your team? You're going to be like, "All right, let me just check that box and go through this process, but I'm still going to do what I want to.". Can this person lead 20 coaches, 60, 70 players depending on practice squad, can they lead? 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. Tucker was the interim head coach of the Jaguars for the last five games of the 2011 season. Tomlin is one of the best coaches in the NFL, at playing as the underdog which means he is still a big game coach that can match skills and wit with the best of them. The Rooney Rule is 20 years old this year. 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. Shane Steichen, Offensive Coordinator, Eagles. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. In his three full seasons with the Vikings he compiled an 18-20 record and was eventually replaced by Mike Zimmer who was fired on Monday. He looked at me crazy and he said, "Well, go to the bathroom." Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. Jackson was replaced by Dennis Allen, a coach that went 8-28 in 2.5 seasons. Thanks to Tyler Dragon, Tom Schad, Doug Whaley, and Andrew Brandt for joining me. from Todd Haley that season when he was let go after a 5-8 start. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/W1bXqGIfl0 Green was picked up in Arizona after Dave McGinnis had three consecutive losing seasons in the desert. Bowles has coached the Dolphins (2011) and Jets (2015-2018), and he is the current coach of the Buccaneers. Of course, that type of logic is counterproductive and completely beside the point, what with the new 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. A complete timeline of Black coaches, past and present, largely declined to hire those candidates, What happened to Brian Flores? Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. There have been six head coaches of the Houston Texans, a professional American football team based in Houston, Texas, United States.The Texans play in the South Division of the American Football Conference (AFC) in the National Football League (NFL).. Having them sit in non-interview settings with the decision makers, presidents, and owners, everything I've talked about. Romeo Crennel was a head coach for four seasons with the Cleveland Browns from 2005 to 2008 and later for one season with the Houston Texans, according to the Pro Football History website. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. Reich's firing after Week 9 was a bit of a surprise. The Houston Texans, replaced Smith with another black coach, DeMeco Ryans. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. 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. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. Leadership is defined in a lot of different ways. He went 21-38 across those four seasons. 12. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. He retired after the 2008 season and was replaced by Jim Caldwell who was the teams coach-in-waiting, in a rare occurrence of a team having back-to-back Black coaches. Caldwell was only in Detroit for four seasons, but the Lions made two postseason appearances under him. Over a nearly 20-year career as a coach in the NFL, Leslie Frazier was the head coach of the Minnesota Vikings from 2010 to 2013. Edwards was with the Chiefs for three seasons and compiled a 15-34 record that included a postseason loss to the Colts in his debut year. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. Frazier was thrown into the fire in Minnesota in 2010 when the Vikings let go of Brad Childress after he started the season 3-7. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. It attempted to address the historically low number of minorities in head coaching positions. 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. 12. Tyler Dragon, sports reporter at USA Today says things played out differently than expected. Todd Bowles was a head coach in the NFL for five seasons, beginning with the Miami Dolphins in the 2011 season and four other seasons leading the New York Jets from 2015 to 2018. He went 2-6 in eight games. Is it because the NFL is an organization akin to slavery, like blacklisted free-agent quarterback Colin Kaepernick said after he was effectively excommunicated from the league following his silent kneeling protest to demonstrate against the police brutality of Black people? Anthony Lynn, who is black, went from running backs coach directly to head coach. He returned to coaching when he took the head job at Arizona State in 2017. Andrew Brandt agrees that the league has a long way to go and suggested similar programs to the one Whaley describes, but warned that the issue is complex and without easy answers. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. 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. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. 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. Lewis was hired by the Bengals after a 2-14 campaign. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. Cully was 4-13 this past season. 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. 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. The Chargers hired Lynn after Mike McCoy went 4-12 and 5-11 in his last two seasons. 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. He is currently the Bills' defensive coordinator. 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. He compiled a 34-32 record in four seasons and was replaced by Brandon Stanley. Notably, Jackson responded to Flores lawsuit by claiming he was subjected to similar treatment described in the complaint. Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. 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. Shell did his second and final stint as the head coach for the Raiders, as he only lasted one year after posting a 2-14 record. Joseph only lasted two seasons and finished with an 11-21 record. Your email will be shared with newsone.com and subject to its. After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. 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. Edwards was 10-6 in his first season and took the team to the second round of the playoffs. Yeah, I think the obvious point is that people tend to hire people like themselves, and that's not just true in the NFL, that's not just true in sports. He led Indianapolis to the franchise's second Super Bowl title in 2006. Image: Getty Images When Stephen. The team relocated to Kansas City, Missouri and were renamed the Chiefs in 1963. MORE: What happened to Brian Flores? Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. McDaniel, who identifies as biracial, was named the head coach of the Dolphins in February 2022. Who are the youngest coaches in the league, and which ones are getting long in the tooth? He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. Gerald Alexander. 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. After all, he'd led a Colts team in constant need of consistent . In all, Dungy has a head coaching record of 148-79-0 and won the regular season games he coached at a rate of nearly 70%, according to the pro football hall of fame website. For some reason, fans of all genders and races were stunned that Flores was unemployed as if Ross doesnt have a long history of being a contradictory figure. First, look at the overall preview of our 20 black NFL coaches below. From all of us at USA Today, thanks for listening. Romeo Crennel was a head coach for four seasons with the Cleveland Browns from 2005 to 2008 and later for one season with the Houston Texans, according to the Pro Football History website. He went 2-3 in those games. Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator, Tennessee Titans. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. Hopefully, DeMecos hiring is the catalyst for more Black coaches in the NFL. 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. And what goes into hiring a head coach? He compiled a 56-52 overall. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. Singletary took over midseason for the 49ers after Mike Nolan was fired after starting the season 2-5. He was fired 8 games into his third season and finished with a 3-36-1 record. 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. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. Art Shell became head coach of the then-Los Angeles Raiders in 1988, a job he held until 1994, after the franchise moved to Oakland, according to the Raiders website. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. The Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons.

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