list of black nfl head coaches

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. 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. 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Edwards spent eight seasons as a head coach in the NFL, running the Jets (2001-2005) and Chiefs (2006-2008). He is the current running backs coach for the 49ers. 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. Notably, Jackson responded to Flores lawsuit by claiming he was subjected to similar treatment described in the complaint. Tomlin has been the coach of the Steelers since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Bill Belichick. Only one head coach in the last seven years. It is what it is and that's the system, but that doesn't mean that it should keep perpetuating that system. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Hue Jackson was an NFL head coach with two franchises for four seasons. 12. This in a league where seven out of ten players are minorities, and most of them black. One Black coach, 33 years after Art Shell broke the modern era head coaching color barrier with the Raiders. I'll break it down to even more simpler terms. He was replaced by Eric Mangini who was 23-26 in three seasons with only one playoff appearance. 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. Below is a look at every Black coach thats been hired since then and a snapshot of their story. 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. Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah - General Manager of the Minnesota Vikings. 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. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering? Because I've learned that the best indicators of future success are self-motivation and self-discipline. What do you think of the show? Were they invited to lead your team? He returned to coaching when he took the head job at Arizona State in 2017. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. 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 He was named the Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1995. Cliff Anderson (American football) Darren Arbet. Nancy Armour USA TODAY 0:00 1:51 The. He has captured two AFC championships and one Super Bowl title. 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. 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. 12. Green made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons in Minnesota, with his most memorable campaign coming in 1998. Frederick Pollard Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard Fritz Pollard was the first African-American football player to play at Brown University. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. All Rights Reserved. Smith was hired in Chicago after the Bears were 7-9 the year before, with Smith going 5-11 in his first season. Well . Shell was the first Black head coach in the modern era of the NFL. After taking over for Bruce Arians who went 8-8 in his final season, Wilks was 3-13 and was replaced by Kliff Kingsbury. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. 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. I said, "What do you do before you go to the bathroom?" Which again, through experience, I've learned those are the key indicators for success. 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. 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. He also coached the Cardinals for three seasons (2004-2006). 12. 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. 1. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. It was when the GM above me and I was the assistant GM, he decided to retire, that decision maker was there in meetings with me, was there socially, professionally, and he understood that I could do the job. It seems like an impossible task to succeed when the most important position on your roster is in such flux. was originally published on 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. Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. He says that change is even happening in his sports business classes. I think a lot of it is the underpinning of a lot of the reporting that we've done, which is just unconscious bias. In 2002, the Texans entered the NFL as an expansion team, with Dom Capers (2002-05) as the team's first head coach. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Hue Jackson was an NFL head coach with two franchises for four seasons. 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. 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. Mike Tomlin, Mike McDaniel, Todd Bowles, Lovie Smith, and interim head coach Steve Wilkes. He was then hired full-time and was 8-8 in his lone full season. But the league still has plenty of veteran greybeards that have seen success at the very highest level. From all of us at USA Today, thanks for listening. 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. 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. Crennel showed up in Cleveland after a season in which Butch Davis and Robiskie led the Browns to a 4-12 campaign. Joseph showed up in Denver after Gary Kubiak stepped down two years after the Broncos won a Super Bowl. I think that we're starting to see that response from a lot of ownerships and a lot of hiring practices. We did a lot of reporting on this in the fall, and you had some people who basically suspected that a lot of it stems from playing positions. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. Either way, Flores. Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. He has an overall record of 62-50 in seven seasons. He compiled a record of 21-32. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Thanks to Tyler Dragon, Tom Schad, Doug Whaley, and Andrew Brandt for joining me. 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. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. Bowles was hired after Rex Ryans roller coaster ride with the Jets ended with a 4-12 finish in 2014. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. All Rights Reserved. Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. His saying was, "It's great to have a mentor, but it's even better to be a mentor." How would you use that player? The NFL has a serious diversity problem. 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. 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. Just 24 of them have been Black. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. Either way, Flores. Thomas was named the interim head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and went 1-2 after Bobby Petrino's sudden resignation. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. 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. That is something that never seems to get noticed when we talk about the Rooney Rule. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. If you have to do something, then you're going to be fully invested in it as something that you chose to do. 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.. Caldwell was only in Detroit for four seasons, but the Lions made two postseason appearances under him. Jackson was replaced by Dennis Allen, a coach that went 8-28 in 2.5 seasons. First, look at the overall preview of our 20 black NFL coaches below. If they could bring that character into our building, others would pick up on those same qualities. 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. 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. 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. Morris, who is the current defensive coordinator of the Rams, served as the head coach of the Buccaneers (2009-2011) and Falcons (2020). 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. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. newsone.com. 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. Todd Bowles Starting our list on number 20 is the NFL franchise head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Bowles. 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. "Brush my teeth?" I'll give you a quote from Bill Nunn, Hall of Fame scout from the Pittsburgh Steelers, the head personnel man for the 1974 draft that drafted four Hall of Famers is the gold standard of anybody in the personnel business. Contact The Promotions/Community Department, 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. 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? 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. The Jets hired Edwards after they were 9-7 the year prior. He stuck around for 15 more and was 131-129-3, but never won a playoff game in seven trips. So all minorities, look for a mentor, but pay it forward by being a mentor. 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. He only coached eight total games, getting all three of his wins with Buffalo. 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). He coached the Raiders from 1989-1994, then returned to the team for one season in 2006. Interestingly enough, Caldwell was mentioned in Brian Flores lawsuit as an example of a Black NFL head coach who was fired in spite of the success he enjoyed. The thinking basically went there are lots of black men who played running back, so when they transition to coaching, that's the position they know, it's the easiest way to get into the business. 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. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. The rule was named after Dan Rooney, then owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. So what's happening here? He signed a 10-year, $95 million deal with the Spartans in November 2021. 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. Thank you for subscribing! Robiskie was an interim head coach twice in his career, taking over for the Commanders in 2000 and Browns in 2004. Green served as the head coach of the Vikings for 10 seasons (1992-2001), earning a playoff berth eight times. Eventually he became head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000s. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. Bowles went 10-6 in his first season and was 24-40 in his four years on the sidelines for the Jets. Whaley is part of a group that launched One Global Culture Events, which helped minority candidates in pro sports connect with upper management. 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. Source . 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. 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. 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. Shane Steichen (left) and Jonathan Gannon will be among the top candidates in the next hiring cycle. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? His career record is 92-90. Jacksons second stint as an NFL head coach was atrocious as he was 1-31 in his first two seasons in Cleveland. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Download Our New Praise 107.9 Radio Mobile App For Your Smartphone! 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. In his lone season as Kansas Citys head coach, he went 2-14 and was replaced by Andy Reid. The Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin and the Tampa Buccaneers' Todd Bowles are the only current Black NFL head coaches. Coaching rumors are heating up with three openings created on Monday morning. 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. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. Crennel took the reins over in K.C. Reich's firing after Week 9 was a bit of a surprise. 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. 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. Singletary coached the 49ers from 2008-2010, totaling 18 wins and 22 losses in three seasons. Crennel was 6-10 in his first season and lasted four years in Cleveland with a 24-20 record. He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. Also, what's your assistant coach set up? He ended those two stints with an overall record of11-44-1. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. 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. 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. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. 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. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. Email me at jabrown@usatoday.com, or leave me a message at (585) 484-0339. As the league becomes more driven by quarterbacks, coaching quarterbacks is becoming a fast track to becoming a head coach. If they truly want to change the system or if not, then we realize that they're just given it lip service. 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. 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. Who are the NFL's Black head coaches? 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. Doug Whaley says this could too. So you can look at different ways to judge minorities. 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. Hubbard Alexander. Here's what our USA TODAY Sports investigation found. A complete timeline of Black coaches, past and present, largely declined to hire those candidates, What happened to Brian Flores? 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.. 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 lost his single game with Buffalo and finished 33-31 with Los Angeles. Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. Can this person lead 20 coaches, 60, 70 players depending on practice squad, can they lead? 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. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. Wilkes was not retained. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. Tony Dungy led the Bucs to a Wild-Card Game. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. Herman Herm Edwards, largely seen as a mentor to many current and former NFL players, coached the New York Jets from 2001-2005 and the Kansas City Chiefs from 2006 to 2008, according to the Pro Football Reference website. Record: 40-33-1, 1-2 in the playoffs. He has never had a losing season in his career, going 156-89-2 through Week 6 of the 2022 season. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. The franchise was founded in 1960 by Lamar Hunt and were known as the Dallas Texans when the team was located in Dallas, Texas. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. The franchise was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL . Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. 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. Just 24 of them have been Black. Revisiting Dolphins scandal, Pollard became the first Black coach in NFL history when he was named co-coach of the Akron Pros in 1921. Bowles, an Elizabeth, New Jersey, native, was the Jets' head coach . 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." True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. There is an old boys network and there's a network where you're going to really protect and promote your own. 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. MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. As of the time that this list was published, Morris was seen as a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy. 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. If you look at solutions instead of just focused on the problem, that's where I think we all should be focusing our energy. Del Alexander. 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. Singletary went 5-4 as the interim coach to finish out the season. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. When I look at the NFL landscape from top to bottom, they are really behind when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Ron Aiken. 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. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. It seems like football fans in the media have the same conversation every year, where are all the black head coaches? Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. 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. Herman Herm Edwards, largely seen as a mentor to many current and former NFL players, coached the New York Jets from 2001-2005 and the Kansas City Chiefs from 2006 to 2008, according to the Pro Football Reference website. Lynn was the interim head coach of the Bills for one game in 2016 before becoming the head coach of the Chargers from 2017-2020.

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