November 5th 2023.
USA Today recently released its second annual report of diversity in the NFL head coaching ranks, and unfortunately, the numbers remain stagnant compared to last year's report. Despite the Rooney Rule, a rule that requires teams to interview at least one minority head coach candidate before making a hiring decision, there are still only six minority head coaches in the league. This is especially concerning when you consider that the player base is approximately 75% Black or men of color.
In October, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addressed this issue during a press conference, saying, “How do we continue to have diversity be a part of our league and make us better? There’s significant progress. But I’m probably always frustrated by the pace of the progress. It’s never enough for yours truly. We obviously know we have work to do here.”
Fortunately, there are some reasons to be optimistic. Rod Graves, the head of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a group that champions diversity in the NFL, told USA Today that the NFL is taking steps to improve the process. He added, “I credit Roger Goodell. I credit the diversity committee and the owners, quite frankly, for recognizing that these are important areas for the league in terms of its commitment to equal opportunities. But as a billion-dollar business, I’m always of the opinion we should be doing more and we should be much further ahead.”
Defensive Coordinator is a pipeline to head coach, and this position is occupied primarily by Black or men of color. On the other hand, all but four Coordinator positions are held by white men. This means that Black coaches often don't get a chance to become head coaches, unless the team prioritizes a defensive-minded coach.
Troy Vincent, a former NFL cornerback and current NFL executive vice president of football operations, commented on this subject, saying, “This is what we’re trying to address. The development of young coaches to become quarterback coaches, offensive quality control, hopefully, an offensive coordinator, then potentially one day be considered a head coach.”
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who spearheaded the league’s adoption of the Rooney Rule, again leads the league in terms of a diverse coaching staff. The Steelers enjoy a 10% cushion on the next most diverse staff, the Seattle Seahawks.
USA Today also noted that the number of women with a clearly defined on-field role in the NFL has not seen an increase in nearly a decade. However, Jennifer King, the first Black woman to become a full-time coach in the NFL, sees this as an opportunity. She said, “That’s the cool thing about the new generation, is that they’re all so young.”
At the owners meeting for 2022, several white head coaches called on owners to make tangible changes. Frank Reich, who was coaching the Indianapolis Colts at the time, said, “It’s a hard issue. We have to be intentional. I think we are in some ways. I think we’re all just saying, we can do better. Not only can we do better, but we need to see some results. The NFL is a results-driven league. If that’s the case, we need to see some results in this area as well.”
It's clear that the NFL still has a long way to go in terms of diversity and inclusion. Hopefully the league will take steps to make real changes and see the desired results in the near future.
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