How Many Black Coaches Are There in the NFL?

The number of black head coaches in the NFL has been on the rise in recent years. But, how many black coaches are there in the NFL? We take a look at the current numbers.

Introduction

The National Football League (NFL) has been criticized in recent years for the dearth of black head coaches. In fact, as of the 2019 season, there are only four black head coaches in the NFL out of a total of 32. This represents a significant decrease from just a few years ago when there were eight black head coaches in the league.

The NFL’s Rooney Rule

In response to the dearth of black head coaches, the NFL implemented the “Rooney Rule” in 2003. Named for Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, the rule requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for any open head coaching or general manager position.

Despite the Rooney Rule, the number of black coaches in the NFL has fluctuated over the years. In 2006, there were eight black head coaches, but that number decreased to six in 2007 and four in 2008. After peaking at seven in 2011, the number of black head coaches dipped to five in 2015. As of 2019, there are only three black head coaches in the NFL: Anthony Lynn of the Los Angeles Chargers, Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins, and Kliff Kingsbury of the Arizona Cardinals.

The decrease in black head coaches can largely be attributed to two factors: The pool of qualified minority candidates is small, and team owners are often reluctant to hire African American coaches because they perceive them as more likely to be fired than their white counterparts. In fact, studies have shown that black NFL coaches are more likely to be fired than white coaches, even when they have comparable winning percentages.

The lack of diversity among NFL head coaches is especially glaring when compared to other major league sports. In Major League Baseball (MLB), 31% of managers are people of color. While this number is still far from perfect, it’s a significant increase from just a few years ago; in 2009, only 8% of MLB managers were people of color. Similarly,people of color make up 22%of NHL head coaches and 28%of NBA head coaches.

The low number of black NFL coaches is a problem because it limits opportunities for African American assistant coaches and perpetuatesthe stereotype that blacks are not capable of leadingNFL teams. It’s also worth noting that while peopleof color make up 70%of NFL players, theyaccount for only 17%of front office executivesand just 6%of team owners. If the NFL wants tobetter reflectthe diversityof its playersand fans, it needsto do moreto increaseopportunitiesfor peopleof colorthroughoutthe league--not just onthe fieldbut alsoin the front officeand ownership suites

The NFL’s Black Coaches

Since the NFL’s inception in 1920, there have been only a handful of black head coaches. In fact, it wasn’t until 1989 that the league hired its first full-time black head coach, Art Shell of the Los Angeles Raiders. Since then, there have been only a handful of black head coaches hired on a full-time basis. Here is a list of all the black head coaches in NFL history:

-Art Shell (Los Angeles Raiders, 1989-1994)
-Ray Rhodes (Green Bay Packers, 1999)
-Herm Edwards (New York Jets, 2001-2005)
-Lovie Smith (Chicago Bears, 2004-2012)
-Tony Dungy (Indianapolis Colts, 2002-2008)
-Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers, 2007-present)
-Jim Caldwell (Indianapolis Colts, 2009-2011; Detroit Lions, 2014-present)
-Marvin Lewis (Cincinnati Bengals, 2003-present)

The NFL’s Black Quarterbacks

As of the 2019 season, there are eight black quarterbacks in the NFL:

-Carson Wentz (Philadelphia Eagles)
-Dak Prescott (Dallas Cowboys)
-Jameis Winston (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
-Marcus Mariota (Tennessee Titans)
-Tyrod Taylor (Buffalo Bills)
-EJ Manuel (Oakland Raiders)
-Josh Freeman (Free Agent)
-Michael Vick (Retired)

Conclusion

In the NFL,73% of players are black, but only 22% of head coaches are black. Out of the 32 NFL teams, only 7 have black head coaches. The lack of diversity among NFL coaches is unacceptable. The NFL needs to do better.