Tyler Dragon, sports reporter for USA Today, says the league already has similar programs in place. During his three seasons as head coach, Rhule had five different starters Teddy Bridgewater, PJ Walker, Sam Darnold, Cam Newton, and Baker Mayfield. Mel Tucker was named the interim head coach of the Jacksonville Jaguars for the final five games of the 2011 season. It seems like football fans in the media have the same conversation every year, where are all the black head coaches? So all minorities, look for a mentor, but pay it forward by being a mentor. After taking over for Bruce Arians who went 8-8 in his final season, Wilks was 3-13 and was replaced by Kliff Kingsbury. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History He is a former NFL player whose professional career spanned from 1986 to 1993. Only one head coach in the last seven years. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. He can move to number one with success during the post-Ben Roethlisberger era. That makes grand total of three in a 32-team league where 60% of players are Black. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? 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. In the text message, Belichick confirmed Daboll had already secured the job, but Flores had not yet interviewed for the position. First, look at the overall preview of our 20 black NFL coaches below. He was replaced by Adam Gase, a guy that went 9-23 in two seasons. 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. Morris, who is the current defensive coordinator of the Rams, served as the head coach of the Buccaneers (2009-2011) and Falcons (2020). 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.. After inheriting a 4-12 team led by Greg Schiano, Smith only lasted two seasons after going 8-24. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. As the league becomes more driven by quarterbacks, coaching quarterbacks is becoming a fast track to becoming a head coach. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. 20 Black NFL Coaches 20. #BlackHistoryMonth pic.twitter.com/W1bXqGIfl0 Heres Every Black Head Coach In NFL History 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. Flores was replacing Adam Gase who was 23-25 in three seasons, as he went 24-25 in three seasons. 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. 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. 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. Smith was replaced by Marc Trestman who only lasted two seasons and had a losing record. Do you remember what your initial thoughts were when you heard that this kind of thing was being implemented? He led the Oakland Raiders during the 2011 season and was the head coach for the Cleveland Browns from 2016 to 2018. He went 21-38 across those four seasons. Singletary coached the 49ers from 2008-2010, totaling 18 wins and 22 losses in three seasons. He was also a terrific running back, earning All-America honors in 1916 while playing for Brown University. Tomlin has been the coach of the Steelers since 2007, making him the second-longest tenured coach in the NFL behind only Bill Belichick. 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. He went 2-6 in eight games. It attempted to address the historically low number of minorities in head coaching positions. 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 . He compiled a record of 21-32. 12. 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. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. 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. 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. That's USA Today's Tom Schad, he's part of the NFL Coach's Project, USA Today's ongoing series analyzing the demographics of football coaches. He compiled a 56-52 overall record, reaching the AFC Championship game in 1990. When he took over in Houston at age 73, he became the oldest head coach in NFL history. Todd Bowles Starting our list on number 20 is the NFL franchise head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Todd Bowles. Were they invited to lead your team? Ron Aiken. After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. 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. 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 37-42-1 across five seasons including going 1-2-0 in the playoffs, according to the Pro Football History website. MORE: The NFL Has A Major Black Head Coach Problem. was originally published on 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. 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. Mike Singletary was the head coach of the San Francisco 49ers for three seasons from 2008 to 2010. Specifically, Flores claims hes had multiple incidents of racial discrimination that involved several teams, as well as coaches and executives around the league. These days, he runs a sports law program at Villanova University and hosts the Business of Sports podcast. I always used to ask questions like this, what do you do when you get up in the morning? 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. Culley lasted just one season with the Texans, completing the 2021 campaign with a 4-13 overall record. He went 2-3 in those games. Crennel finished out the season with the interim tag and went 2-1. That's why I didn't have to do the interview. He served as the defensive coordinator for the Miami Dolphins under then-head coach Brian Flores during the 2021 season. Either way, Flores. Nonetheless, Mr. Caldwell was fired the day after his fourth season.. All Rights Reserved. '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? That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. 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. Thomas was the Falcons head coach for just four games before the team decided to hire someone else for the job in the offseason. Jackson, who is the current coach of Grambling State, was the head coach of the Raiders (2011) and Browns (2016-2018). 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.. Todd Haley took over for Edwards and was 19-26 during his run. 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 had a 131-122-3 record in 16 seasons and reached the playoffs seven times. If they truly want to change the system or if not, then we realize that they're just given it lip service. 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. 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. One person called this positional segregation. The Kansas City Chiefs of the National Football League (NFL) have had 13 head coaches in their franchise history. 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. 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. All three have had very successful careers while . Bowles, an Elizabeth, New Jersey, native, was the Jets' 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. 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 was 41-44 in his tenure and took the Jets to the postseason in three of his five seasons. 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. Flores finished 24-25 in three seasons with the Dolphins (2019-2021) and remains connected to the franchise. And Terry Robiskie served as an interim head coach in Washington as the interim position would be the highest level he ever reached in his career. 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. The Chargers hired Lynn after Mike McCoy went 4-12 and 5-11 in his last two seasons. 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. Green made the playoffs in eight of 10 seasons in Minnesota, with his most memorable campaign coming in 1998. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. I can go down and down the line, there's no majority black owner in the NFL. Of the five head . Studesville was the interim head coach of the Broncos in 2010, going 1-3 to finish out the season. Singletary took over midseason for the 49ers after Mike Nolan was fired after starting the season 2-5. Smith coached the Bears for nearly a decade (2004-2012) before a brief stint with the Buccaneers (2014-2015). But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. Whaley says women and minorities struggle to break through In this insular world. 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. newsone.com. Revisiting Dolphins scandal. 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. 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. He served in the same double capacity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. Lewis was 8-8 his first season. There were five black NFL head coaches at the end of the 2022 season. I'm James Brown. He is currently Michigan State's head coach. Nancy Armour USA TODAY 0:00 1:51 The. After serving as defensive coordinator for the Buffalo Bills in 2021, Frazier interviewed for the Chicago Bears head coaching job. Top Row: Lovie Smith, Marvin Lewis, Tony Dungy, Mike Tomlin, Jim Caldwell Botttom Row: Anthony Lynn, Romeo Crennel, Herm Edwards, Leslie Frazier, Brian Flores. In seven seasons with the Colts, Dungy was 92-33 as he made the playoffs every season and won Super Bowl XLI. The Vikings went 15-1 that season and racked up 556 points, which set an NFL record at the time.. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. Must Black folks be head coaches too, critics might be wondering. Fritz Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history after the Akron Pros appointed him as co-coach in 1921. 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. 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. But then when you look down at specific positions, running back's coaches is a great example that ended up being kind of the crux of the story. 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. Lynn took the Chargers back to the playoffs in 2018 where they lost to the Patriots in the second round. and over the next 13 seasons, which included seven years with the Indianapolis Colts, he racked up 148 total victories. He signed on to be the head coach of the Texans in February 2022. 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. He looked at me crazy and he said, "Well, go to the bathroom." He left the league with a 54-74 overall record. Crennel showed up in Cleveland after a season in which Butch Davis and Robiskie led the Browns to a 4-12 campaign. Anthony Lynn was a head coach in the NFL for two teams over the course of five seasons. He says that there's been some improvement with diversity in the coaching ranks. Dungy was hired in Indianapolis after they went 6-10 before he arrived. Dennis Green took the Vikings to the NFC Championship Game. Leadership is defined in a lot of different ways. He lasted three years in Indianapolis (2009-2011) before getting another opportunity in Detroit (2014-2017). Having them sit in non-interview settings with the decision makers, presidents, and owners, everything I've talked about. But, if history is any indication and it is thats far from a guarantee. He has taken the Pittsburgh Steelers to two Super Bowls since 2007 with one. 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. 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. Last year, Ryan served as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers who had one of the best defenses in the league. 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. How would you use that player? Dirk Koetter replaced Smith and wasnt much better, as Tampa Bay didnt get good again until Bruce Arians showed up in 2019. 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. 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. 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. We might have you on the show. Emmitt Thomas. 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. Bowles went 10-6 in his first season and was 24-40 in his four years on the sidelines for the Jets. said his lawsuit will not be deterred regardless of whether he is or isnt an NFL head coach next season. The league in general is tough, but it is a lot tougher for people of color and minorities, and women. The NFL wants more, or so . 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. 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. Former NFL star DeMeco Ryans is the next Black man to ascend to the position of head coach in the NFL. 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. Dennis Greeen was the Vikings Head Coach from 1992 to 2001, and his 97 regular-season wins rank second in franchise history. Maybe they're not doing it as well as others, but I think sometimes they get faulted unfairly for things. Copyright 2023 Interactive One, LLC. The rule was named after Dan Rooney, then owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. 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. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. 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 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. In 2002, the Texans entered the NFL as an expansion team, with Dom Capers (2002-05) as the team's first head coach. I said, "What do you do before you go to the bathroom?" Thomas was named the interim head coach of the Falcons in 2007 and went 1-2 after Bobby Petrino's sudden resignation. 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. 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. 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. Record: 40-33-1, 1-2 in the playoffs. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. Caldwell took over for Dungy with ease as he posted a 14-2 record in his first season as the Colts made it all the way to Super Bowl XLIV where they were upset by Drew Brees and the Saints. 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. Coaching rumors are heating up with three openings created on Monday morning. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. He was replaced by Mangini who went 10-22 in two seasons. He compiled a 34-32 record in four seasons and was replaced by Brandon Stanley. When I look at the NFL landscape from top to bottom, they are really behind when it comes to diversity and inclusion. Thanks to Tyler Dragon, Tom Schad, Doug Whaley, and Andrew Brandt for joining me. That's USA Today's sports reporter Tyler Dragon, he's been writing about the NFL for close to a decade. That's Doug Whaley. And to Alexis Gustin and Shannon Ray Green for their production assistance. Jackson was replaced by Dennis Allen, a coach that went 8-28 in 2.5 seasons. McDaniel, who identifies as biracial, was named the head coach of the Dolphins in February 2022. "What do you do". 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? Owners and front office people who are in charge of hiring, they found loopholes in the rule. He stuck around for 15 more and was 131-129-3, but never won a playoff game in seven trips. Brian Flores was the head coach of the Miami Dolphins from 2019 through the 2021 season, after which he was fired. He ended those two stints with an overall record of11-44-1. After leading the Buffalo Bills for one season in 2016. 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. One Black head coach in a league dominated by Black players. 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. It's Sunday, February 5th, 2023. Flores was fired on Monday despite leading the Dolphins to seven straight wins in the second half. Eric Studesville was the head coach for the Denver Broncos during the final four games of the 2010 season. 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. Del Alexander. Mike Tomlin has been one of the best black head coaches in the modern NFL. Antonio Brown, Mike Wallace, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Emmanuel Sanders. Lewis was hired by the Bengals after a 2-14 campaign. The new wave of head-coaching hires in the NFL has seen a trend toward younger, offensive-minded leading men getting the top jobs. That is something that never seems to get noticed when we talk about the Rooney Rule. 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. It is what it is and that's the system, but that doesn't mean that it should keep perpetuating that system. He returned to coaching when he took the head job at Arizona State in 2017. Download Our New Praise 107.9 Radio Mobile App For Your Smartphone! 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. This is the NFL, a place where Black coaches get treated like third-class citizens. In 2000, there were three Black coaches in the league. 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. Anthony Lynn, who is black, went from running backs coach directly to head coach. Is it right, wrong or indifferent? Frederick Pollard Frederick Douglass "Fritz" Pollard Fritz Pollard was the first African-American football player to play at Brown University. 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? That certainly lines up with what Flores lawsuit is alleging. Coaches[edit] Note: Statistics are correct through the end of the 2022 NFL season. 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. 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. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. Only one of five NFL head coaches hired this offseason was Black. After all, they may be musing, isnt the NFL disproportionately made up of Black players? Exactly. Jackson claims the Browns incentivized losing while he was head coach in order to increase the teams odds in the NFL Draft. Shane Steichen (left) and Jonathan Gannon will be among the top candidates in the next hiring cycle. 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. Tomlin showed up in Pittsburgh after Bill Cowher was 8-8 in his final season and one year removed from winning a Super Bowl. I think that we're starting to see that response from a lot of ownerships and a lot of hiring practices.