How Many Black Head Coaches Are There in the NFL?

As of the 2019 season, there are only four black head coaches in the NFL. This number is down from eight in 2018, and is the lowest it has been since 2002.

The Rooney Rule

The Rooney Rule is a policy that requires NFL teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. It is named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who was chairman of the league’s Diversity Committee. The NFL instituted the rule in 2003.

What is the Rooney Rule?

In December 2002, the NFL instituted the “Rooney Rule,” named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, which requires NFL teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations positions.

The idea behind the Rooney Rule is to promote diversity and ensure that all qualified candidates have an opportunity to be considered for open positions. The rule has been credited with increasing the number of black head coaches in the NFL – from two in 2002 to eight in 2008.

However, the number of black head coaches has been declining in recent years, and as of 2016 there are only six black head coaches in the NFL. This is still double the number of black head coaches that there were before the Rooney Rule was instituted, but it is a far cry from the goal of having minorities equally represented in all levels of coaching positions in the NFL.

How has the Rooney Rule been received?

Since its inception, the Rooney Rule has been both praised and criticized. Some argue that it has been successful in increasing the number of minority candidates for head coaching and general manager positions, while others believe that it has not gone far enough in creating meaningful change. Nevertheless, the rule remains in place and continues to be a topic of discussion among NFL stakeholders.

The current state of black head coaches in the NFL

Out of the 32 NFL teams, only 4 of them are headed by black head coaches. This number has not changed much in the past few years, and many people are beginning to wonder why. Although the NFL has made some effort to increase the number of black head coaches, it does not seem to be enough.

How many black head coaches are there in the NFL?

As of the 2019 season, there are only 4 black head coaches in the NFL out of a total of 32. This number has been steadily declining since 2006, when there were 8 black head coaches. The reasons for this decline are not fully clear, but may be due in part to the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for open head coaching positions.

Who are some of the current black head coaches in the NFL?

There are currently eight black head coaches in the NFL: Anthony Lynn (Chargers), Marvin Lewis (Bengals), Hue Jackson (Browns), Todd Bowles (Jets), Vance Joseph (Broncos), Mike Tomlin (Steelers), Dirk Koetter (Buccaneers) and Jay Gruden (Redskins).

The future of black head coaches in the NFL

In 2002, the NFL implemented the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior operations positions. The rule was named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who was chairman of the league’s Diversity Committee. The Rooney Rule has helped increase the number of black head coaches in the NFL from 6 in 2002 to 14 in 2018.

What challenges do black head coaches face in the NFL?

Despite the NFL’s efforts to diversify its coaching ranks, the number of black head coaches has been stagnant for years. In 2019, there are only four black head coaches out of 32 teams, which is down from a high of eight in 2011.

The low number of black head coaches is puzzling because black assistant coaches make up nearly 30% of the NFL’s assistant coaching ranks. This means that there is a large pool of qualified candidates to choose from.

So why aren’t more black coaches getting hired?

One reason may be that NFL teams are more likely to hire a head coach who has previous head coaching experience. This puts black assistant coaches at a disadvantage because they are less likely to have been given the opportunity to serve as a head coach at the college or pro level.

Another reason may be that some NFL team owners and executives still hold stereotype-based beliefs about the abilities of black coaches. They may believe that black coaches are not good at game-planning or managing players and staff, or that they are not able to relate to white players and fans.

Whatever the reasons, it is clear that black head coaches in the NFL face challenges that their white counterparts do not. And until these challenges are addressed, the number of black head coaches is likely to remain stagnant.

What opportunities are there for black head coaches in the NFL?

In spite of the NFL’s Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching and senior operations positions, the numbers of black head coaches in the NFL has been declining in recent years. In 2002, there were 8 black head coaches in the NFL; by 2006, that number had declined to 6. In 2007, there were only 5 black head coaches, and in 2008, there were only 4.

The NFL has been facing criticism for its lack of diversity among its head coaches. In 2009, the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) released a report that found that 70% of the league’s players are black, yet only 22% of assistant coaches are black and only 8% of head coaches are black.

The issue came to a head in 2013 when two African American quarterbacks, Colin Kaepernick and Russell Wilson, led their teams to the Super Bowl. There has only ever been one other black quarterback to start a Super Bowl game: Doug Williams with the Washington Redskins in 1988. Kaepernick and Wilson’s success led some to wonder if there was a bias against hiring black quarterbacks as head coaches.

The dearth of black head coaches in the NFL is likely due to a combination of factors, including racism and a lack of opportunities for assistant coaches who are not white. In order to increase the number of black head coaches in the NFL, it is important to first examine the issue of racism in football.