I think there's some basic qualities you look for. As a player, Ryans was a two-time Pro Bowler and is still the Texans all-time tackles leader. 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. 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. I think that we're starting to see that response from a lot of ownerships and a lot of hiring practices. The NFL has just three black head coaches. Some call it a 'denial of 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. His saying was, "It's great to have a mentor, but it's even better to be a mentor." and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. Todd Haley took over for Edwards and was 19-26 during his run. Is it right, wrong or indifferent? Hello, and welcome to Five Things. 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. 20 years ago, the NFL adopted a policy known as the Rooney Rule. 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. NFL head coaches 2023: Latest news, rumors, interviews on hirings, firings Morris was 17-31 in three seasons and wound up being replaced by Greg Schiano, then Lovie Smith, and then Dirk Koetter none of them fared much better. The league is being sued by Brian Flores, former Miami Dolphins head coach. Personality's always going to play a big role. Just 25 of them have been Black. That makes grand total of three in a 32-team league where 60% of players are Black. All three have had very successful careers while . Tucker was the interim head coach of the Jaguars for the last five games of the 2011 season. Joseph showed up in Denver after Gary Kubiak stepped down two years after the Broncos won a Super Bowl. He ended his career with a 113-94 overall record. was originally published on Can this person lead 20 coaches, 60, 70 players depending on practice squad, can they lead? In his three seasons in Indianapolis, Caldwell was 28-24 and replaced by Chuck Pagano. It is what it is and that's the system, but that doesn't mean that it should keep perpetuating that system. We might have you on the show. What's your systems? The Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons. 20 Black NFL Coaches [2023 Update] - Players Bio To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. First, look at the overall preview of our 20 black NFL coaches below. Which again, through experience, I've learned those are the key indicators for success. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. 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? It still remains to be seen if that is going to lead to results. 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.. 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. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. (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. Lewis was hired by the Bengals after a 2-14 campaign. Here's a look at every Black head coach in the NFL since 2000 - Deadspin Schad says this goes back a while. Mike Tomlin, Mike McDaniel, Todd Bowles, Lovie Smith, and interim head coach Steve Wilkes. Wilks didnt do a good job in his first season with the Cardinals, but well never know if it was a fluke or the norm, as it was also his only season in Arizona. Emmitt Thomas Source:Getty Emmitt Thomas was named interim head coach of the Atlanta Falcons in the middle of the 2007 season after a sudden resignation left the position vacant. 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,, 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. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. He also coached the Cardinals for three seasons (2004-2006). Crennel took the reins over in K.C. 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. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering? 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. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. '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? 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. Lynn took the Chargers back to the playoffs in 2018 where they lost to the Patriots in the second round. Record: 40-33-1, 1-2 in the playoffs. 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. The first thing you say is kudos to Mr. Rooney, obviously the driving force behind it, and I worked for him so I'm biased, but also the league for identifying a problem and trying to come up with a solution. Overall of the on field coaches in the NFL, it's something like 43% are coaches of color. Crennel showed up in Cleveland after a season in which Butch Davis and Robiskie led the Browns to a 4-12 campaign. 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. Shane Steichen (left) and Jonathan Gannon will be among the top candidates in the next hiring cycle. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. "What do you do". Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. And what goes into hiring a head coach? He was replaced by Jim Harbaugh. We should be able to have a system where the best person for the job gets hired, not the person you know the best. How would you use that player? 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. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. 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. There are just SIX head coaches of color out of 32 in a league with a 70% non-white player base. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. All Rights Reserved. It's Sunday, February 5th, 2023. Hue Jackson was an NFL head coach with two franchises for four seasons. We see coaches, as I mentioned, like Ron Rivera, Mike McDaniel, Robert Saleh, not exclusively African American. I'm proud to report today, my classes are basically 50/50. Image: Getty Images When Stephen. 12. In seven seasons with the Colts, Dungy was 92-33 as he made the playoffs every season and won Super Bowl XLI. It featured powerful, experienced and successful Black coaches such as Eric Bieniemy (Chiefs OC), Todd Bowles, Byron Leftwich, James Franklin (Penn State HC), Leslie Frazier (Assistant HC/Defensive Coordinator, Bills), Vance Joseph (Defensive Coordinator, Cardinals), Jerod Mayo (Inside Linebackers, Patriots), Raheem Morris (Defensive Coordinator, Shell was the first Black head coach in the modern era of the NFL. That makes grand total of three in a 32-team league where 60% of players are Black. 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. He was replaced by Mangini who went 10-22 in two seasons. Crennel was 6-10 in his first season and lasted four years in Cleveland with a 24-20 record. Thank you for subscribing! MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. 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. I said, "What do you do before you go to the bathroom?" 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. Flores was replacing Adam Gase who was 23-25 in three seasons, as he went 24-25 in three seasons. When Stephen Ross Miami Dolphins fired Brian Flores on Monday, it sent shockwaves around the NFL. Green was 16-32 during his tenure and was replaced by Ken Whisenhunt. What do you think of that player? Schad interviewed Herm Edwards, he played in the NFL in the seventies and eighties. 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. Most NFL players are Black. So why aren't there more Black head coaches? Just 24 of them have been Black. 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. He was named the AP Coach of the Year in 2009. He stuck around for 15 more and was 131-129-3, but never won a playoff game in seven trips. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. He was then hired full-time and was 8-8 in his lone full season. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History He was never coached by a man of color at any point in his career, and he said on the teams that he was a part of the coaching staff, there was always one coach of color, and it was almost always the running back's coach. He was fired in September 2022. That's why I didn't have to do the interview. Here's Every Black Head Coach In NFL History - NewsOne But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. The year before, Norv Turner was 4-12, and the year after Shell left, Lane Kiffin was 4-12 in his first season. I think that might be part of the answer to why it exists, but I certainly don't think it's the entire answer. 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. 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. The Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons. List of Kansas City Chiefs head coaches - Wikipedia In that time, they hired two head coaches. Well . 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. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. 1. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. 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. 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. 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. Because I've learned that the best indicators of future success are self-motivation and self-discipline. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. 12. Category : African-American coaches of American football A Brief History of Black NFL Coaches - Usatoday.com While the policy has been able to open more doors for Black coaches during the interview process, front offices have largely declined to hire those candidates. He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. 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. The team relocated to Kansas City, Missouri and were renamed the Chiefs in 1963. Last year, Ryan served as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers who had one of the best defenses in the league. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. Ron Aiken. He signed on to be the head coach of the Texans in February 2022. 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. He has a 3-3 overall record through Week 6 of the 2022 season. There were five black NFL head coaches at the end of the 2022 season. He is a former NFL player whose professional career spanned from 1986 to 1993. 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. The Houston Texans, replaced Smith with another black coach, DeMeco Ryans. Crennel finished out the season with the interim tag and went 2-1. Mostly, Pollard would see the work and sacrifice he and other Black coaches have made wasn't. 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. He was fired 8 games into his third season and finished with a 3-36-1 record. 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 went 11-21 in 32 games. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. During his three seasons as head coach, Rhule had five different starters Teddy Bridgewater, PJ Walker, Sam Darnold, Cam Newton, and Baker Mayfield. 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. He can move to number one with success during the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. Green made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons in Minnesota, with his most memorable campaign coming in 1998. 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. 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. For so many reasons, DeMeco is everything we are looking for in a leader and coach for our organization, said Texans owner Cal McNair in a statement. His career record is 92-90. 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. 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 coached the Los Angeles Chargers. What's in it for interims? Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator, Tennessee Titans. 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. Anytime you have to implement a rule to interview a black head coaching candidate or a minority head coaching candidate, that's admitting there's a problem. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. Pittsburghs Mike Tomlin and Houstons David Culley are the lone Black head coaches in a league thats over 70 percent Black. The Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL) have had 13 head coaches in their franchise history. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. Your email will be shared with praisephilly.com and subject to its. Robiskie was an interim head coach twice in his career, taking over for the Commanders in 2000 and Browns in 2004. 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. Who are the NFL's Black head coaches? A complete timeline of Black 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. Bowles was hired after Rex Ryans roller coaster ride with the Jets ended with a 4-12 finish in 2014. 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. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. You can just interview a black or minority head coach and know that you're not really going to hire them, you're just making sure you cross all your Ts and dot your Is before you make that hire of the white coach you want. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. The NFL has a serious diversity problem. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Below is a look at every Black coach thats been hired since then and a snapshot of their story. Tomlin has been the coach of the Steelers since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Bill Belichick. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second 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. 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 The next year he was fired after starting the season 5-10. Its reminiscent of the end of the 2018 season when five black head coaches were fired and were replaced with five white coaches, leaving Tomlin and Anthony Lynn as the only Black faces, at the time. The Houston Texans announced this week that the organization hired Ryans on a six-year deal, making them the first NFL team to hire three consecutive Black coaches. 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. Our recent USA Today sports analysis found that in the last 20 years, about four white coaches were hired for every coach of color. One Black head coach in a league dominated by Black players. "Brush my teeth?" Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. After serving as the defensive coordinator for the Ravens from 1996-2001, Lewis accepted a new position within the division, coaching the Bengals from 2003-2018. Despite the fact that coaches are beginning to opt out of the combine, both Pederson and Baalke will meet with the media to discuss strategy and other subjects on Tuesday, February 28 at 12:30 a.m . Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. A List Of Black Executives And General Managers In The NFL Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. Wilks is the current interim head coach of the Panthers, but he got his first shot at the top job with the Cardinals, going 3-13 in 2018.