The new wave of head-coaching hires in the NFL has seen a trend toward younger, offensive-minded leading men getting the top jobs. Every week we take a concept or idea and go deep, and this week we talk about football, football coaches that is. The NFL currently has three head coaches that are of African American origin. He is the current running backs coach for the 49ers. For perspectives sake, the NFL entered Black History Month 2023 with just one single Black head coach despite its vow a decade earlier to increase diversity among its head and assistant coaches. Bowles went 10-6 in his first season and was 24-40 in his four years on the sidelines for the Jets. Robiskie was an interim head coach twice in his career, taking over for the Commanders in 2000 and Browns in 2004. He's accusing teams including the New York Giants and Denver Broncos of conducting sham interviews with him last year. It is what it is and that's the system, but that doesn't mean that it should keep perpetuating that system. Jackson only got one season to prove his worth with the Raiders after finishing 8-8 in a season in which the team started 7-4. 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. Studesville was the interim head coach of the Broncos in 2010, going 1-3 to finish out the season. Edwards was hired in Kansas City after the team went 10-6 in Dick Vermeils last season. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. 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. He says that there's been some improvement with diversity in the coaching ranks. Tyler Dragon, sports reporter at USA Today says things played out differently than expected. Jackson took over for Tom Cable, who went 8-8 in his final season with the team. Who are the NFL's Black head coaches? Smith was replaced by Marc Trestman who only lasted two seasons and had a losing record. 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.". He coached the Los Angeles Chargers. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. 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. 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).. He was also a terrific running back, earning All-America honors in 1916 while playing for Brown University. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. Tony Alford. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. We might have you on the show. He also wants to get a sense of their mentality. Tenure: Four-plus seasons (71 games). The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. 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. 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. The franchise was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL . Joseph only lasted two seasons and finished with an 11-21 record. Don Shula holds the current records for regular season wins at 328 and combined regular and postseason wins at 347. 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.. Because I've learned that the best indicators of future success are self-motivation and self-discipline. He is the current running backs coach for the Dolphins. Women being interested in this area of business or law, from my viewpoint, has really grown. In 1921, Coach Pollard became the first African-American head coach in the NFL, coaching the Akron Pros. 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. The dearth of African American offensive NFL head coaches is both systemic and deep-rooted, owing in parts to networking practices, the embers of retrograde stereotypes and the lasting effects of . Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? 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. After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images. A more diverse pipeline could help down the road. In his lone season as Kansas Citys head coach, he went 2-14 and was replaced by Andy Reid. 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. Thanks to Tyler Dragon, Tom Schad, Doug Whaley, and Andrew Brandt for joining me. 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. Caldwell was only in Detroit for four seasons, but the Lions made two postseason appearances under him. 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. 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. 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. What do you think of that player? The franchise was founded in 1960 by Lamar Hunt and were known as the Dallas Texans when the team was located in Dallas, Texas. 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. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. 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. 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. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. Emmitt Thomas. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. There are just 32 NFL head coaching jobs, six or seven become vacant every year. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. He had a 131-122-3 record in 16 seasons and reached the playoffs seven times. 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. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. Caldwell had an incredible debut season as a head coach, going 14-2 with the Colts on the way to an appearance in Super Bowl XLIV. 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. 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. I think there's some basic qualities you look for. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. It still remains to be seen if that is going to lead to results. I'm proud to report today, my classes are basically 50/50. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History 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. Which again, through experience, I've learned those are the key indicators for success. 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. The Jets hired Edwards after they were 9-7 the year prior. 1. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. Check out the FULL list below! He went 2-6 in eight games. MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. Wilkes was not retained. 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. Were they invited to lead your team? Of the five head . When he took over in Houston at age 73, he became the oldest head coach in NFL history. If they could bring that character into our building, others would pick up on those same qualities. 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. Edwards was 10-6 in his first season and took the team to the second round of the playoffs. 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. 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. Dungy later became the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. 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. He is currently Michigan State's head coach. The rule was named after Dan Rooney, then owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. 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. 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. He went 2-3 in those games. Coaching rumors are heating up with three openings created on Monday morning. 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 . Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. 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. 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. 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. Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Emmanuel Sanders. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. In 2000, there were three Black coaches in the league. Exactly. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/W1bXqGIfl0 Schad says this goes back a while. 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. Green was picked up in Arizona after Dave McGinnis had three consecutive losing seasons in the desert. He has a 3-3 overall record through Week 6 of the 2022 season. 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. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. Smith wasnt able to capture the magic he had in Chicago with Tampa Bay. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. 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. He was replaced by Eric Mangini who was 23-26 in three seasons with only one playoff appearance. What's your systems? Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. He was 41-44 in his tenure and took the Jets to the postseason in three of his five seasons. newsone.com. 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 Flores was fired on Monday despite leading the Dolphins to seven straight wins in the second half. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. 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. 2. "What do you do". 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 looked at me crazy and he said, "Well, go to the bathroom." There is an old boys network and there's a network where you're going to really protect and promote your own. Having them sit in non-interview settings with the decision makers, presidents, and owners, everything I've talked about. Tyler Dragon, sports reporter for USA Today, says the league already has similar programs in place. All three have had very successful careers while . The league is being sued by Brian Flores, former Miami Dolphins head coach. 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. After all, he'd led a Colts team in constant need of consistent . | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. 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. I'm James Brown. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. 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. 1. Relationships play a big part too. Tomlin showed up in Pittsburgh after Bill Cowher was 8-8 in his final season and one year removed from winning a Super Bowl. Who are the youngest coaches in the league, and which ones are getting long in the tooth? Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. Racist Ex-University Of Kentucky 'Karen' Sophia Rosing Is Charged For Assaulting Black Student, Mississippi Cops Beat, Waterboarded Handcuffed Black Men, Shot 1 For Dating White Women': Lawyers. He compiled a 34-32 record in four seasons and was replaced by Brandon Stanley. The league and the teams deny his claims, but Dragon isn't convinced. What I was looking for is the kind of person that I don't know, does 50 pushups right out of bed, that makes a to-do list right out of bed, that has a routine. If you have to do something, then you're going to be fully invested in it as something that you chose to do. There's also disparities in the type of coaching roles black coaches are hired for. Flores was replacing Adam Gase who was 23-25 in three seasons, as he went 24-25 in three seasons. 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. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. 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. Tomlin has been the coach of the Steelers since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Bill Belichick. 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. That is something that never seems to get noticed when we talk about the Rooney Rule. He compiled a 56-52 overall record, reaching the AFC Championship game in 1990. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. 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. 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? When I started teaching seven, eight years ago, I'd have a class of 50 students, it'd be 47 guys and three girls. He ended those two stints with an overall record of11-44-1. 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. Download Our New Praise 107.9 Radio Mobile App For Your Smartphone! Someone that has familiarity with your roster, a lot of our interview time was spent, what do you think of this player? Whaley says women and minorities struggle to break through In this insular world. Only one head coach in the last seven years. 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 has a proven track record for developing high-quality players and constantly innovated his defensive scheme over the last six seasons in San Francisco.. Morris was tabbed as the man to follow the Jon Gruden era in Tampa a guy that still touts his Super Bowl title with the Bucs even though he coached a team that was crafted by Tony Dungy. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. All Rights Reserved. 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. He ended his career with a 113-94 overall record. 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. 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 . 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. 20 Black NFL Coaches 20. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. Frazier was the Vikings' coach from 2010-2013, leading Minnesota to its biggest single-season turnaround in franchise history (3-13 in 2011 to 10-6 in 2012). 12. There were five black NFL head coaches at the end of the 2022 season. 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.