It’s the NFL offseason.
In a recent column, USA Today reporter Mike Freeman raised concerns over the NFL’s lack of diversity among offensive coordinators, labeling it ‘devastating’ for the league.
Freeman highlighted a significant shift: for the first time since the inception of the Rooney Rule in 2003, there are no non-white offensive coordinators in the NFL. While acknowledging the historic hiring of four Black head coaches this offseason, he underscored the importance of diversity in coaching roles.
Explaining the significance of the offensive coordinator position, Freeman emphasized its prominence in football. He noted that teams often look to coordinators and quarterback coaches for head coaching candidates, given their proximity to the quarterback and the strategic importance of their roles.
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Why is this story important? It’s definitely changing (slightly) but the offensive coordinator position is the most glamorous in football when it comes to assistant coaches. This axiom still applies: the closer to the quarterback, the more important the coaching position. So coordinators and quarterback coaches/passing game coordinators remain the place where many teams looking for head coaches will go to first. Not all the time but in many instances.
While there are 14 Black defensive coordinators in the league, Freeman pointed out that NFL owners tend to prioritize offensive coaches when hiring head coaches, especially in today’s NFL landscape.
Freeman highlighted the imbalance: with no people of color in top offensive coordinator positions, the league faces a significant diversity challenge. He suggested that many owners and general managers tend to focus on hiring from the offensive coordinator pool when seeking head coaches, making the absence of diversity in this area particularly concerning.
Again, go back to offensive coordinators. There will be a significant number of owners and general managers who will look to almost exclusively hire from the offensive coordinator pool. They may interview defensive coordinators but they’ll want to hire from the offensive side of the ball and having no people of color holding the top spot on offense is devastating for the league.
Despite this trend, Freeman noted a shift during the recent offseason. Five of the eight head coaching hires were from the defensive side of the ball, with three of them being Black coaches.
The New England Patriots appointed Jerod Mayo, the Las Vegas Raiders promoted Antonio Pierce, and the Atlanta Falcons hired Raheem Morris, signaling a departure from the norm.
