list of black nfl head coaches list of black nfl head coaches

Tomlin showed up in Pittsburgh after Bill Cowher was 8-8 in his final season and one year removed from winning a Super Bowl. 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. He is currently Michigan State's head coach. 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. Either way, Flores. Only one head coach in the last seven years. 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. 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 ended his career with a 113-94 overall record. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. After inheriting a 4-12 team led by Greg Schiano, Smith only lasted two seasons after going 8-24. If they could bring that character into our building, others would pick up on those same qualities. It still remains to be seen if that is going to lead to results. Tyler Dragon, sports reporter at USA Today says things played out differently than expected. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. 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. He is currently the Bills' defensive coordinator. Flores was replacing Adam Gase who was 23-25 in three seasons, as he went 24-25 in three seasons. Edwards was 10-6 in his first season and took the team to the second round of the playoffs. He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. from Todd Haley that season when he was let go after a 5-8 start. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? Former NFL executives Andrew Brandt and Doug Whaley, and USA TODAY sports reporters Tom Schad and Tyler Dragon give their insights on the process of hiring coaches and executives in today's NFL. 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. He had an aggregate record of 36-28, a winning percentage of .563 the best winning percentage of any Lions Head Coach since the 1950s, Flores lawsuit said in part. 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.. 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. Andy Lewis/Icon Sportswire/Getty Images. 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. Someone that has familiarity with your roster, a lot of our interview time was spent, what do you think of this player? He ended those two stints with an overall record of11-44-1. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. First, look at the overall preview of our 20 black NFL coaches below. 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. 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. As of the time that this list was published, Morris was seen as a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy. He went 36-30 during his tenure and has been replaced by a litany of coaches that havent been able to get the Lions to sniff the playoffs since he was fired. 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. 4. He was also named assistant head coach of the Jaguars for the 2012 season, according to the Pro Football History website. Andrew Brandt would know. What's your systems? The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. The Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons. 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. 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. 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. After taking over for Bruce Arians who went 8-8 in his final season, Wilks was 3-13 and was replaced by Kliff Kingsbury. Of the five head . 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. Robiskie was an interim head coach twice in his career, taking over for the Commanders in 2000 and Browns in 2004. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. He is the current running backs coach for the 49ers. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. This is the NFL, a place where Black coaches get treated like third-class citizens. He returned to coaching when he took the head job at Arizona State in 2017. Over the next few days and weeks, multiple teams will be conducting interviews to fill their head coaching vacancies. 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. And while that happens, the lack of Black coaches will be the most discussed talking point. 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. Because I've learned that the best indicators of future success are self-motivation and self-discipline. He compiled a 56-52 overall record, reaching the AFC Championship game in 1990. Dirk Koetter replaced Smith and wasnt much better, as Tampa Bay didnt get good again until Bruce Arians showed up in 2019. 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. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. Shell was the first Black head coach in the modern era of the NFL. There's also disparities in the type of coaching roles black coaches are hired for. The Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons. 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. 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 went 2-3 in those games. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History He has a 3-3 overall record through Week 6 of the 2022 season. We should be able to have a system where the best person for the job gets hired, not the person you know the best. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Eventually he became head coach of the New York Jets and Kansas City Chiefs in the 2000s. That's something Doug Whaley, the former NFL GM we met earlier, learned in his career. 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. He was replaced by Zac Taylor who is currently 16-32 in three seasons. But the league still has plenty of veteran greybeards that have seen success at the very highest level. Crennel finished out the season with the interim tag and went 2-1. 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. It's Sunday, February 5th, 2023. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. Well . 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. 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.. The Jets hired Edwards after they were 9-7 the year prior. Ron Aiken. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. Relationships play a big part too. He signed on to be the head coach of the Texans in February 2022. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. He coached the Raiders from 1989-1994, then returned to the team for one season in 2006. Lewis was hired by the Bengals after a 2-14 campaign. 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. I said, "What do you do before you go to the bathroom?" Just 24 of them have been Black. Joseph, who is the current defensive coordinator of the Cardinals, coached the Broncos for two seasons (2017-2018). The NFL wants more, or so . The year before, Norv Turner was 4-12, and the year after Shell left, Lane Kiffin was 4-12 in his first season. 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. Mike Tomlin, Brian Flores and David Culley are the three NFL coaches. What do you think of that player? He's accusing teams including the New York Giants and Denver Broncos of conducting sham interviews with him last year. What's your familiarity, and what's your schemes? Here's what our USA TODAY Sports investigation found. 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. MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. But as we see now, just like anything, people that have children and even to yourself, when someone says you have to do something, you're obviously automatically going to have a bias towards it. As of the time that this list was published, Morris was seen as a leading candidate for the Minnesota Vikings head coaching vacancy. The league in general is very tough because it's not like a lot of other industries where there's a criteria of how you get promoted. 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. Download Our New Praise 107.9 Radio Mobile App For Your Smartphone! He has taken the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowls since 2007 with one. Tony Alford. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. 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. 12. He also wants to get a sense of their mentality. Tucker was the interim head coach of the Jaguars for the last five games of the 2011 season. He has captured two AFC championships and one Super Bowl title. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. Coaching rumors are heating up with three openings created on Monday morning. I think that might be part of the answer to why it exists, but I certainly don't think it's the entire answer. Dennis Green took the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. What do you think of the show? said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. 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. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. To be sure, the NFL has had more than 500 head coaches over the course of more than a century of competition. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. newsone.com. These days, he runs a sports law program at Villanova University and hosts the Business of Sports podcast. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. This in a league where seven out of ten players are minorities, and most of them black. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. The franchise was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL . Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. He was replaced by Mangini who went 10-22 in two seasons. Lewis was 8-8 his first season. His career record is 92-90. Below is a look at every Black coach thats been hired since then and a snapshot of their story. Bowles has coached the Dolphins (2011) and Jets (2015-2018), and he is the current coach of the Buccaneers. Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. He compiled a 34-32 record in four seasons and was replaced by Brandon Stanley. One Black head coach in a league dominated by Black players. In 2002, the Texans entered the NFL as an expansion team, with Dom Capers (2002-05) as the team's first head coach. He is currently the linebackers coach for the Steelers. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. James Franklin (Penn State coach) So far, the best bet to be the first Black coach to win an FBS national championship remains Franklin, whose Nittany Lions will likely enter the season as a . 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. "Brush my teeth?" He has a 90-90-1 overall record through Week 6 of the 2022 season. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. 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. There are just 32 NFL head coaching jobs, six or seven become vacant every year. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. Hit play on the player above to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript below. Brandt is a sports agent turned NFL executive who spent about 10 years with the Green Bay Packers. 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. Check out the FULL list below! Maybe they're not doing it as well as others, but I think sometimes they get faulted unfairly for things. 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. Dungy was hired in Indianapolis after they went 6-10 before he arrived. Your email will be shared with praisephilly.com and subject to its. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. 1. A lot of it is right place at the right time, a lot of it's knowing the right people, a lot of it is just hard work and accomplishments. In his three full seasons with the Vikings he compiled an 18-20 record and was eventually replaced by Mike Zimmer who was fired on Monday. The fact is that Flores claims are hardly unique and help bolster critics suspicions that the NFL is intentionally trying to keep its head coaching ranks as white as possible despite the leagues so-called Rooney Rule, a policy that requires teams to interview at least one diverse candidate when looking to hire new coaches. What's in it for interims? What's the setup of their operation? Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. He was replaced by Vic Fangio who was fired on Sunday. 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. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? 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 was also a terrific running back, earning All-America honors in 1916 while playing for Brown University. There were three Black head coaches in the NFL when the Rooney Rule took effect, and the league hasn't made a ton of progress toward its goals in the years since. 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. Suicide Note Revealed After Shocking Death, Indicted! Crennel showed up in Cleveland after a season in which Butch Davis and Robiskie led the Browns to a 4-12 campaign. Mike Tomlin, Mike McDaniel, Todd Bowles, Lovie Smith, and interim head coach Steve Wilkes. Smith wasnt able to capture the magic he had in Chicago with Tampa Bay. 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. Just 25 of them have been Black. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. 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. Email me at jabrown@usatoday.com, or leave me a message at (585) 484-0339. A more diverse pipeline could help down the road. The Rooney Rule is 20 years old this year. He was named the Sporting News Coach of the Year in 1995. True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. 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. Green was picked up in Arizona after Dave McGinnis had three consecutive losing seasons in the desert. Green made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons in Minnesota, with his most memorable campaign coming in 1998. 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. Can this person lead 20 coaches, 60, 70 players depending on practice squad, can they lead? He can move to number one with success during the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. 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. He lost his single game with Buffalo and finished 33-31 with Los Angeles. 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. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. After all, he'd led a Colts team in constant need of consistent . Women being interested in this area of business or law, from my viewpoint, has really grown. He had an aggregate record of 36-28, a winning percentage of .563 the best winning percentage of any Lions Head Coach since the 1950s, Flores lawsuit said in part. All Rights Reserved. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. 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. I think leadership's basic premise is can you get people to do things that they necessarily don't want to do just because of you? After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. I always used to ask questions like this, what do you do when you get up in the morning? Singletary coached the 49ers from 2008-2010, totaling 18 wins and 22 losses in three seasons. He retired after the 2008 season and was replaced by Jim Caldwell who was the teams coach-in-waiting, in a rare occurrence of a team having back-to-back Black coaches. I'm proud to report today, my classes are basically 50/50. Hopefully, DeMecos hiring is the catalyst for more Black coaches in the NFL. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. 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.. 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. Image: Getty Images When Stephen. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. 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. OBrien was let go after starting the 2020 season 0-4, as the Texans finished 4-12 under interim coach Romeo Crennel. Studesville was the interim head coach of the Broncos in 2010, going 1-3 to finish out the season. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. Just 24 of them have been Black. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. I think that we're starting to see that response from a lot of ownerships and a lot of hiring practices. Revisiting Dolphins scandal, Pollard became the first Black coach in NFL history when he was named co-coach of the Akron Pros in 1921. He had a 131-122-3 record in 16 seasons and reached the playoffs seven times. Schad interviewed Herm Edwards, he played in the NFL in the seventies and eighties. Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. 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. He went 21-38 across those four seasons. The dearth of African American offensive NFL head coaches is both systemic and deep-rooted, owing in parts to networking practices, the embers of retrograde stereotypes and the lasting effects of . Record: 40-33-1, 1-2 in the playoffs. 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. Thanks to Tyler Dragon, Tom Schad, Doug Whaley, and Andrew Brandt for joining me. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. 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. When I started teaching seven, eight years ago, I'd have a class of 50 students, it'd be 47 guys and three girls. Thomas was named the interim head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and went 1-2 after Bobby Petrino's sudden resignation. Bowles went 10-6 in his first season and was 24-40 in his four years on the sidelines for the Jets. 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. Jackson was replaced by Dennis Allen, a coach that went 8-28 in 2.5 seasons. In 1921, Coach Pollard became the first African-American head coach in the NFL, coaching the Akron Pros. He was fired in September 2022. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. The Houston Texans broughtCulley in to clean up the mess that Bill OBrien left after he underachieved with J.J. Watt, Deshaun Watson, and DeAndre Hopkins on top of trading Hopkins and getting into it with Watt. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league.