list of black nfl head coaches

Coaching rumors are heating up with three openings created on Monday morning. He was also named assistant head coach of the Jaguars for the 2012 season, according to the Pro Football History website. After taking over for Bruce Arians who went 8-8 in his final season, Wilks was 3-13 and was replaced by Kliff Kingsbury. 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. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. What's in it for interims? He led Indianapolis to the franchise's second Super Bowl title in 2006. Shell did his second and final stint as the head coach for the Raiders, as he only lasted one year after posting a 2-14 record. It attempted to address the historically low number of minorities in head coaching positions. Dennis Green took the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. 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. It's Sunday, February 5th, 2023. Of the five head . and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. 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. That makes grand total of three in a 32-team league where 60% of players are Black. What do you think of that player? Singletary coached the 49ers from 2008-2010, totaling 18 wins and 22 losses in three seasons. 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? 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. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. To date, he has a 162-93 record, is the youngest coach in league history to win a Super Bowl, has Pittsburgh in the playoffs for the tenth time in his tenure, and is the only coach in league history to begin his career with 15 straight non-losing seasons. 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. He was replaced by Eric Mangini who was 23-26 in three seasons with only one playoff appearance. Who are the youngest coaches in the league, and which ones are getting long in the tooth? Smith wasnt able to capture the magic he had in Chicago with Tampa Bay. Relationships play a big part too. | Source: Wesley Hitt / Getty. He ended those two stints with an overall record of11-44-1. Jackson only got one season to prove his worth with the Raiders after finishing 8-8 in a season in which the team started 7-4. 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. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. Someone that has familiarity with your roster, a lot of our interview time was spent, what do you think of this player? 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. The rule was expanded in 2009 to include general managers as well as other front-office positions. After a long career as an assistant with the Patriots, Flores got a chance to run his own team when the Dolphins came calling in 2019. He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. 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. Well . Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. One Black head coach in a league dominated by Black players. 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. A more diverse pipeline could help down the road. McDaniel, who identifies as biracial, was named the head coach of the Dolphins in February 2022. 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 . Let's take a look back at the Black coaches who have been able to rise up the ranks, starting with the trailblazer who broke the NFL's color barrier more than 100 years ago. 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. 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 . The franchise was a charter member of the American Football League (AFL . Lynn was hired by the Los Angeles Chargers the following season and served in that capacity for four years through the 2020 season. Either way, Flores. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. He is the current running backs coach for the 49ers. He was replaced by Adam Gase, a guy that went 9-23 in two seasons. Thomas was named the interim head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and went 1-2 after Bobby Petrino's sudden resignation. Having them sit in non-interview settings with the decision makers, presidents, and owners, everything I've talked about. 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 Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons. 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. If you have to do something, then you're going to be fully invested in it as something that you chose to do. So what's happening here? 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. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. There are just 32 NFL head coaching jobs, six or seven become vacant every year. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. 12. He was 41-44 in his tenure and took the Jets to the postseason in three of his five seasons. Studesville was the interim head coach of the Broncos in 2010, going 1-3 to finish out the season. I think that might be part of the answer to why it exists, but I certainly don't think it's the entire answer. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. 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. 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. That's what we'll be discussing today. He is currently the linebackers coach for the Steelers. Also, what's your assistant coach set up? 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. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. His saying was, "It's great to have a mentor, but it's even better to be a mentor." Joseph showed up in Denver after Gary Kubiak stepped down two years after the Broncos won a Super Bowl. Del Alexander. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. Green served as the head coach of the Vikings for 10 seasons (1992-2001), earning a playoff berth eight times. 20 years ago, the NFL adopted a policy known as the Rooney Rule. MORE: 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. 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. Kwesi Adolfo-Mensah - General Manager of the Minnesota Vikings. Bowles went 10-6 in his first season and was 24-40 in his four years on the sidelines for the Jets. Edwards was hired in Kansas City after the team went 10-6 in Dick Vermeils last season. 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. Tomlin has been the coach of the Steelers since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Bill Belichick. He was then hired full-time and was 8-8 in his lone full season. Nancy Armour USA TODAY 0:00 1:51 The. Tucker was the interim head coach of the Jaguars for the last five games of the 2011 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. 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. 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. 12. 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? He compiled a 56-52 overall record, reaching the AFC Championship game in 1990. 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). Exactly. One person called this positional segregation. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. So all minorities, look for a mentor, but pay it forward by being a mentor. For some reason, fans of all genders and races were stunned that Flores was unemployed as if Ross doesnt have a long history of being a contradictory figure. He compiled a record of 21-32. 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. Dungy later became the head coach of the Indianapolis Colts. That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. 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.. Yeah, I think the obvious point is that people tend to hire people like themselves, and that's not just true in the NFL, that's not just true in sports. Every week we take a concept or idea and go deep, and this week we talk about football, football coaches that is. Personality's always going to play a big role. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. 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. 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. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? Please be sure to open and click your first newsletter so we can confirm your subscription. 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. 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. Podcasts: True crime, in-depth interviews and more USA TODAY podcasts right here. Thanks to Tyler Dragon, Tom Schad, Doug Whaley, and Andrew Brandt for joining me. Revisiting Dolphins scandal. 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. Overall of the on field coaches in the NFL, it's something like 43% are coaches of color. 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. 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. 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. 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. He was replaced by Zac Taylor who is currently 16-32 in three seasons. Frazier finished the year 3-3, and got the interim tag taken off him. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. All Rights Reserved. Gerald Alexander. Were they invited to lead your team? So you can look at different ways to judge minorities. This is the NFL, a place where Black coaches get treated like third-class citizens. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. He was fired 8 games into his third season and finished with a 3-36-1 record. Women being interested in this area of business or law, from my viewpoint, has really grown. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. 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. Your email will be shared with praisephilly.com and subject to its. 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. 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. The Rooney Rule is 20 years old this year. That's Doug Whaley. 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. All Rights Reserved. He went 11-21 in 32 games. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. Anthony Lynn, who is black, went from running backs coach directly to head coach. 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. 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. 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. Dirk Koetter replaced Smith and wasnt much better, as Tampa Bay didnt get good again until Bruce Arians showed up in 2019. Who are the NFL's Black head coaches? Leadership is defined in a lot of different ways. 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. 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. The Jets hired Edwards after they were 9-7 the year prior. The Lions also had two playoff berths in four seasons, as compared to one playoff appearance in the previous 14 seasons. Smith coached the Bears for nearly a decade (2004-2012) before a brief stint with the Buccaneers (2014-2015). I think there's some basic qualities you look for. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. 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 also a terrific running back, earning All-America honors in 1916 while playing for Brown University. 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. The franchise was founded in 1960 by Lamar Hunt and were known as the Dallas Texans when the team was located in Dallas, Texas. 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. He has an overall record of 62-50 in seven seasons. Your email will be shared with newsone.com and subject to its. He was fired in September 2022. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. Mostly, Pollard would see the work and sacrifice he and other Black coaches have made wasn't. The Houston Texans, replaced Smith with another black coach, DeMeco Ryans. John Allen (American football) Lamar Allen. He is embroiled in a lawsuit that he filed against multiple teams, including Miami, and the NFL for discriminatory hiring practices. 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. 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. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. 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. Of course, that type of logic is counterproductive and completely beside the point, what with the 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. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. There is an old boys network and there's a network where you're going to really protect and promote your own. Can this person lead 20 coaches, 60, 70 players depending on practice squad, can they lead? All three have had very successful careers while . Jacksons second stint as an NFL head coach was atrocious as he was 1-31 in his first two seasons in Cleveland. 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. 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. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. He returned to coaching when he took the head job at Arizona State in 2017. As a player, Ryans was a two-time Pro Bowler and is still the Texans all-time tackles leader. 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? 4. Fewell was the interim head coach for the Bills in 2009 and Panthers in 2019. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. Our recent USA Today sports analysis found that in the last 20 years, about four white coaches were hired for every coach of color. 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? Reich's firing after Week 9 was a bit of a surprise. After all, he'd led a Colts team in constant need of consistent . On today's episode of the 5 Things podcast:5 Things Sunday Host James Brown explores the NFL's Rooney rule which requires teams to interview minority coaches and staff when positions like head coach, general manager, and coordinator positions open. Over the next few days and weeks, multiple teams will be conducting interviews to fill their head coaching vacancies. What's your systems? 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. I had access to the decision maker and the decision maker saw how I worked, how I thought, how I interacted with people, and how I led. He only coached eight total games, getting all three of his wins with Buffalo. 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. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. Bowles was hired after Rex Ryans roller coaster ride with the Jets ended with a 4-12 finish in 2014. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. It seems like football fans in the media have the same conversation every year, where are all the black head coaches?

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