NFL Now Requires All Football Teams Include Minority Offensive Coach to Rosters
Possibly in a move to combat former Miami Dolphins head coach, Brian Flores‘ discrimination lawsuit, the (National Football League) NFL is putting together a committee to review its diversity hiring practices.
NBA.com has reported that the league revealed a new diversity advisory committee. That diversity committee will include business leaders, academics, and former Houston Texans GM Rick Smith who will assist in reviewing different league and club policies with regard to ongoing matters pertaining to the lack of diversity in hiring.
The committee members are:
- Pamela Carlton, founder and president, Springboard
- Peter Harvey, former N.J. Attorney General; partner, Patterson Belknap
- Patricia Brown Holmes, managing partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila
- Stefanie K. Johnson, associate professor, University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business
- Don Thompson, CEO and founder, Cleveland Avenue, LLC, and former president and CEO, McDonald’s Corporation.
“Today, the National Football League announced the creation of the NFL Diversity Advisory Committee, following its pledge last month to retain outside experts to review the league’s diversity policies and practices,” the league said in a written statement. “The six-member committee will lend its expert, external perspective on industry best practices and will evaluate league and club diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and initiatives, including all hiring processes, policies and procedures, with a primary focus on senior-level coach and front office personnel positions.
“After completing this evaluation, the committee will provide comprehensive recommendations to the league office and club ownership for consideration.”
All 32 NFL teams will now be required to have a minority coach as an offensive assistant. The NFL is also thinking about having the teams invite staff members to league events. This idea was brought to the league by Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera. He believes doing so would help the cause as it would allow minority candidates to become familiar with decision-makers in more relaxed settings.
The league also stated that there will be other diversity, equity and inclusion-related changes before the January 2023 hiring cycle.
