His teams won division titles four times and advanced to NFC Championship Games after the 1998 and 2000 seasons, the team wrote on its website. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. 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 . The franchise was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL . The NFL has a serious diversity problem. He is the current running backs coach for the 49ers. MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. Relationships play a big part too. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. The next year he was fired after starting the season 5-10. Reich's firing after Week 9 was a bit of a surprise. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. A more diverse pipeline could help down the road. If you like this show, write a review on Apple Podcast or wherever you're listening, and do me a favor, share it with a friend. The other part of it is I think from my view, there are more women in front offices now as well, and although a very small minority, more women in the coaching. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. Image: Getty Images When Stephen. Crennel took the reins over in K.C. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. 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.. 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. 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. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? Record: 40-33-1, 1-2 in the playoffs. was originally published on One Black coach, 33 years after Art Shell broke the modern era head coaching color barrier with the Raiders. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. The following year the team was 11-5 and Smith won Coach of the Year. In nine seasons in Chicago, Smith was 84-66 and made three postseason appearances including losing Super Bowl XLI to the Colts in the only matchup thats ever featured two Black coaches. Crennel was 6-10 in his first season and lasted four years in Cleveland with a 24-20 record. Yeah, if I bought something for a billion dollars, which is the minimum going price these days, I'd want to be able to hire who I want to hire is what I'm thinking is going through these owners heads. 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. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. Tomlin showed up in Pittsburgh after Bill Cowher was 8-8 in his final season and one year removed from winning a Super Bowl. He was then hired full-time and was 8-8 in his lone full season. What do you think of the show? 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. He went 11-21 in 32 games. The Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin and the Tampa Buccaneers' Todd Bowles are the only current Black NFL head coaches. 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 also coached the Cardinals for three seasons (2004-2006). 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. 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. Studesville was the interim head coach of the Broncos in 2010, going 1-3 to finish out the season. There were five black NFL head coaches at the end of the 2022 season. 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 has a proven track record for developing high-quality players and constantly innovated his defensive scheme over the last six seasons in San Francisco.. John Allen (American football) Lamar Allen. In 2017, we had a record eight minority head coaches entering the season: Chargers Anthony Lynn, Denver's Vance Joseph, Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis, Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin, Detroit's Jim. When I started teaching seven, eight years ago, I'd have a class of 50 students, it'd be 47 guys and three girls. 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. 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. This in a league where seven out of ten players are minorities, and most of them black. 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. And then I say, "Okay, well I'm not going to tell you how to spend your money, but I'm going to tell you before you spend your money, you have to go through this process." Last year, Ryan served as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers who had one of the best defenses in the league. Mostly, Pollard would see the work and sacrifice he and other Black coaches have made wasn't. Women being interested in this area of business or law, from my viewpoint, has really grown. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. He led Indianapolis to the franchise's second Super Bowl title in 2006. 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. First, look at the overall preview of our 20 black NFL coaches below. The rule was named after Dan Rooney, then owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. Eventually he became head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000s. 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. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. When Stephen Ross Miami Dolphins fired Brian Flores on Monday, it sent shockwaves around the NFL. He only coached eight total games, getting all three of his wins with Buffalo. If they could bring that character into our building, others would pick up on those same qualities. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. Coaches[edit] Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2022 NFL season. Email me at jabrown@usatoday.com, or leave me a message at (585) 484-0339. 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. 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. In his three seasons in Indianapolis, Caldwell was 28-24 and replaced by Chuck Pagano. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. Todd Haley took over for Edwards and was 19-26 during his run. What do you think of that player? (At the time, it was called the American Professional Football Association.). Also, what's your assistant coach set up? Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Culley lasted just one season with the Texans, completing the 2021 campaign with a 4-13 overall record. All three have had very successful careers while . 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. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. MORE: What happened to Brian Flores? 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. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? 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. He looked at me crazy and he said, "Well, go to the bathroom." Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. He was also a terrific running back, earning All-America honors in 1916 while playing for Brown University. 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. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. He signed a 10-year, $95 million deal with the Spartans in November 2021. Tenure: Four-plus seasons (71 games). Exactly. In that time, they hired two head coaches. Leadership is defined in a lot of different ways. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. 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. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images. He was replaced by Zac Taylor who is currently 16-32 in three seasons. He is currently Michigan State's head coach. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. He coached the Raiders from 1989-1994, then returned to the team for one season in 2006. Lynn took the Chargers back to the playoffs in 2018 where they lost to the Patriots in the second round. Nancy Armour USA TODAY 0:00 1:51 The. was originally published on 12. 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. He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. 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. McDaniel, who identifies as biracial, was named the head coach of the Dolphins in February 2022. We may earn a commission from links on this page. Dirk Koetter replaced Smith and wasnt much better, as Tampa Bay didnt get good again until Bruce Arians showed up in 2019. His teams won division titles four times and advanced to NFC Championship Games after the 1998 and 2000 seasons, the team wrote on its website. He ended his career with a 113-94 overall record. Carolina's Steve Wilks latest Black coach thrust into challengingrole, A family affair: Nepotism and its networks fill many NFL coaching positions, NFL's path to top jobs still narrow, lengthy for coaches ofcolor, Often interviewed, never hired: How hot-shot NFL head coaching candidates go cold, As NFL coaching carousel starts to spin, advocates unsure how Black candidates will fare, What we learned: Four key findings from USA TODAY's analysis of NFL coaches, PODCAST: Exploring USA TODAY Sports NFL coaches project and previewing Week 4. For perspectives sake, the NFL entered Black History Month 2022 with just one single Black head coach despite its vow a decade earlier to increase diversity among its head and assistant coaches. 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. Tony Dungy led the Bucs to a Wild-Card Game. 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. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. 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. There are just 32 NFL head coaching jobs, six or seven become vacant every year. I'm James Brown, and as always, be well. As a player, Ryans was a two-time Pro Bowler and is still the Texans all-time tackles leader. A complete timeline of Black coaches, past and present, largely declined to hire those candidates, What happened to Brian Flores? 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. The league is being sued by Brian Flores, former Miami Dolphins head coach. Revisiting Dolphins scandal, Pollard became the first Black coach in NFL history when he was named co-coach of the Akron Pros in 1921. '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? 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. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. They have who they want to be their coordinators, to be their assistant coaches, in some cases, to be their quality control coaches, to be their equipment managers, to be their strength conditioning staff. Edwards spent eight seasons as a head coach in the NFL, running the Jets (2001-2005) and Chiefs (2006-2008). Mike Tomlin, Mike McDaniel, Todd Bowles, Lovie Smith, and interim head coach Steve Wilkes. I'm James Brown. There is an old boys network and there's a network where you're going to really protect and promote your own. Smith wasnt able to capture the magic he had in Chicago with Tampa Bay. All Rights Reserved. The Houston Texans, replaced Smith with another black coach, DeMeco Ryans. As of the time that this list was published, Morris was seen as a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy. If you have to do something, then you're going to be fully invested in it as something that you chose to do. Perry Fewell was the head coach of the Buffalo Bills for a single season in 2019. One Black head coach in a league dominated by Black players. Green was 16-32 during his tenure and was replaced by Ken Whisenhunt. 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. Just 24 of them have been Black. Arthur Smith, offensive coordinator, Tennessee Titans. Not only minorities, but people that are the decision makers. In 1921, Coach Pollard became the first African-American head coach in the NFL, coaching the Akron Pros.