The Washington Post released a devastating editorial series Wednesday about the systemic discrimination that Black coaches face within the NFL.
As of now, Todd Bowles of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Lovie Smith of the Houston Texans and Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers are the only Black head coaches in the League. That’s the same number from 2003 when the NFL enacted the Rooney Rule to facilitate more hirings of Black people within coaching and front office ranks.
“The NFL doesn’t have a diversity problem. The NFL has a Black problem,” said Jackson State assistant coach Dennis Thurman. “There aren’t that many Hispanics playing in the NFL. There aren’t that many Asians. There aren’t women on the field in the NFL. I understand them wanting to be inclusive, and I applaud what they’re doing for those groups.
“But the issue is not women. It’s not Asians. It’s not Hispanics. The majority of players in the NFL are Black. They use the word ‘diversity.’ It’s real slick. But, no, uh-uh. That’s not the issue.”
Super Bowl champion coach Tony Dungy gave his own reasons for the lack of Black head coaches.
The NFL world was quick to react to the report:
How the hell do these media morons not understand that it is BECAUSE of the idiotic Rooney Rule no “progress” has been made on black head coaches?!
When a rule forces every black man hired to be under the suspicion of being a coerced hire, guess who is less likely to get hired! https://t.co/m6QwRustRH
— John Ziegler (@Zigmanfreud) September 22, 2022
I write about “Rooney rule” failing in my new book – by shortlisting a person of colour for each senior role that you will create more diverse leaders
All it does is give organisations a “get out of jail” pass when they still employ white males & can’t be challenged in a tribunal https://t.co/CT6xzhPNx6— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) September 21, 2022
Michigan State’s Mel Tucker and former Lions head coach Jim Caldwell both featured here. “I do think the words genius, guru, quarterback whisperer, are all phrases that they use to describe non-African American coaches,” Caldwell says. https://t.co/4aPy2v5oYl
— Sam Robinson (@samueljrob) September 21, 2022
“What’s the criteria? Sometimes it’s because he’s ‘a great leader.’ Sometimes it’s because he ‘came up the same way I came up.’ But the common theme … is [an owner is going] to hire someone that looks like that owner.” — Leslie Frazier, Bills defensive coordinator https://t.co/cmjVqgl8ti
— Rachel Lenzi 💁🏻♀️😎 (@rachelmlenzi) September 21, 2022
What about Black Owners 😂😂 https://t.co/YY4lmlnes4
— SACKMAN LIVES (@JuniorGalette93) September 22, 2022
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