The Super Bowl set record numbers, as one of the most watched sporting events of all time. Other records were set as well, like the fact that the officiating staff had more people of color on it than ever before. Five of the seven officials on the field were Black. And it’s worth noting that the athletes on the field representing the NFL were predominantly Black as well.
In fact, the NFL boasts that a whopping 70 percent of its players are Black.
So the big question at the end of this NFL season has become: Why so few Black coaches? There are only three out of 32 teams: Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Mike Tomlin, Miami Dolphins Coach Brian Flores and Coach Anthony Lynn with the Los Angeles Chargers.
No doubt the opportunities were there, even before the official end of the season, as firings took place. Five spots became open and not one went to a Black coach. All the White owners did was play musical chairs. Within hours of Ron Rivera being fired by the Carolina Panthers, he was hired by the Washington Redskins. Dallas did not renew Jason Garrett’s contract and took but a day before hiring former Green Bay Packers coach Mike McCarthy. The Panthers, the Giants and Browns were also looking for new coaches, but failed to hire Black coaches.
It’s not like coaches of color weren’t available, such as former Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell or former Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. It’s just that… well, the explanations are vague and truthfully point to an old boys network that is failing to keep up with the times.
However, NFL officials agree there is a problem.
“When you look at the demographics, it’s embarrassing,” said Troy Vincent, a former player who is Black and now is executive vice president of football operations at the NFL.
And at the end of the Super Bowl, even NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admitted the NFL is failing when hiring Black head coaches. “It’s clear we need to change and do something different.”
Added Rod Graves, a former general manager who now runs the Fritz Pollard Alliance (which promotes diversity in football), in an expose’ in the New York Times (NYT): “We’re celebrating the 100th anniversary of the NFL, yet we have only three head coaches of color. For all the hoopla that football has become in this country, that kind of progress, or lack of, is shameful.”
The NFL, which appears to actively be trying to address diversity issues, like working with hip hop culture icon Jay Z, has tried to address this issue before. Consider this fact: at NFL headquarters, 28 percent of its management is Black, while throughout the league among the various teams, however, it drops dramatically to 11 percent. Remember, we’re talking about a league whose players are more than 70 percent Black.
It’s been almost 20 years since the Rooney Rule was established. The rule was put in place in 2003 with the intent to give minority candidates more opportunities for head coaching and football operations jobs. It doesn’t seem to be working.
Black men can’t lead
One of the issues is the fact that there are not many offensive coordinator positions being developed for Blacks. That position traditionally leads to a coaching opportunity. The NYT reports that in the league, there are only two Black OCs, while there are 10 defensive coordinators. Since the league has become more welcoming to Black quarterbacks, it’s interesting that Black offensive leaders and in particular Black quarterback coaches aren’t keeping pace.
It’s an underlying message, say some, that says Black men are incapable of coaching positions that require more intellect.
Jason Cordner of the Source says: The lack of Black coaches is pathetic at this point, and what White NFL owners refuse to understand, is just how big of a role a Black coach can have in a player’s life. On the outside, it looks like the message the NFL is sending to the players and fans is that of the belief, Black men can’t lead other Black men.”
