NFL head coach diversity: Commissioner Roger Goodell says further progress required
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell admits he was not satisfied with this year's head coaching hiring cycle; Two of the seven head coaching jobs were filled by minorities after the New York Jets hired Robert Saleh, while Houston Texans appointed David Culley.
Last Updated: 05/02/21 11:08am
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the results of this year's head coaching hiring cycle was not what the league expected, a year after he pledged to increase diversity in the role.
Two of the seven head coaching jobs were filled by minorities after the New York Jets hired Robert Saleh, whose parents are Lebanese, while Houston Texans appointed David Culley, who is black.
There are now five minority coaches in the league - an increase of one minority head coach from 2020.
"It wasn't what we expected and it's not what we expect going forward," Goodell said ahead of Sunday's Super Bowl between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Kansas City Chiefs in Tampa, Florida.
The NFL included a new measure to award two third-round draft choices to a team that develops a minority candidate hired by another franchise as a head coach or general manager.
"For us, we want to continue to look and see what went right, what went wrong," Goodell added.
"That has to happen with individual discussions with candidates - both successful and unsuccessful candidates - the clubs, and try to understand exactly what went right and what went wrong.
"They're not the outcomes we wanted."
Eric Bieniemy, the Chiefs' offensive coordinator who has now led the team to two consecutive Super Bowls, was seen as a prime candidate to pick up a head coaching job.
Head coach Andy Reid said earlier this week he was "curious" to know why Bieniemy, who is black, was overlooked.
"This guy doesn't miss a beat," said Reid.
"So, I don't understand everything, I'm not an owner, I don't sit in those meetings to interview head coaches, but I would just tell you that whoever gets him whenever they get him will be very, very lucky."
Teams hired three black general managers: Martin Mayhew by the Washington Football Team, Brad Holmes by the Detroit Lions and Terry Fontenot by the Atlanta Falcons.
Watch the Tampa Bay Buccaneers take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV, live on Sky Sports NFL on Sunday night from 10pm.
