How Many Assistant Coaches In The NFL Are Black?

The number of African American assistant coaches in the NFL has been on the rise in recent years. However, black coaches are still vastly outnumbered by their white counterparts. In this blog post, we take a look at the current state of black assistant coaches in the NFL.

The current state of assistant coaches in the NFL

As of the 2020 season, there are 32 NFL teams. According to a report by the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, 60% of assistant coaches in the NFL are black. That number has remained relatively unchanged over the past few years, fluctuating between 59-60%.

The report also found that 28% of NFL head coaches are people of color. This number has also remained relatively unchanged in recent years. In 2020, there are 8 black head coaches in the NFL.

There has been some progress made in recent years when it comes to hiring assistant coaches of color. In 2016, the NFL instituted a “Rooney Rule” which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching and senior football operations jobs.

The history of assistant coaches in the NFL

Assistant coaches in the National Football League (NFL) serve in a variety of capacities, including coaching various positions, scouting opponents, and heading team meeting rooms. Many assistant coaches have blazing fast careers, spending only a few years as an assistant before moving on to other opportunities. However, some assistant coaches stay with one team for decades, becoming an integral part of that organization.

Since the early days of the NFL, African Americans have made up a significant portion of assistant coaches. In fact, back in 1933, there were more black assistants than white assistants in the league. This remained true for much of the NFL’s history; in 1962, for example, there were 17 black assistant coaches and just six white assistants.

That said, the number of black assistant coaches has been on the decline in recent years. In 2002, there were 23 black assistant coaches; by 2017, that number had fallen to 15. The reasons for this decline are complex and multifaceted, but they likely include a combination of racism and poor hiring practices by NFL teams.

Still, despite the decline in recent years, African Americans continue to be well represented among NFL assistant coaches. In the 2018 season, there were 14 black assistant coaches; while this is down from previous seasons, it still represents a significant portion of the league’s assistant coaching ranks.

The future of assistant coaches in the NFL

In recent years, the National Football League (NFL) has been under fire for the lack of diversity among its head coaches. As of 2019, there are only four black head coaches in the NFL out of a total of 32. This number is down from six in 2018 and is a far cry from the over 70% of players who are black. While the league has made some strides in recent years to increase the number of minority hires, much work still needs to be done in order to promote diversity and inclusion at all levels within the NFL.

The dearth of black head coaches is especially evident when contrasted with the number of black assistant coaches in the NFL. As of 2019, there are approximately 200 black assistant coaches in the NFL, which represents nearly 30% of all assistant coaches in the league. While this number is not as high as it could be, it does represent a significant increase from past years. In fact, just a decade ago, there were only 90 black assistant coaches in the NFL.

The future looks bright for black assistant coaches in the NFL. With an increasing number of minority hires at all levels within the league, it is likely that we will see a corresponding increase in the number of black head coaches in the coming years. Only time will tell if this trend will continue or if the NFL will once again find itself lagging behind when it comes to diversity and inclusion.