Congressman Cummings Calls for More Diversity Among NFL Head Coaches

Congressman Cummings Calls for More Diversity Among NFL Head Coaches

Cummings: "The coaching leadership in the NFL must better reflect the diversity of America."

Washington, D.C. -- Today, Congressman Elijah E. Cummings (D-MD), urged the Commissioner of the National Football League (NFL) to work more aggressively and urgently to increase the number of minority head coaches in the league. As the end of the 2005-2006 season arrived, ten NFL teams had openings for their head coaching positions. To date, nine of those positions have been filled. While one of the new vacancies was filled with a minority, that person moved from another head coaching job in the NFL; thus, there remain just six minority coaches in the 32-team league.

The text of the Congressman's letter to Commissioner Tagliabue follows:

January 27, 2006

Mr. Paul Tagliabue
Commissioner
National Football League
280 Park Avenue
New York, New York 10017

Dear Commissioner Tagliabue:

Congratulations on a successful National Football League (NFL) season and I wish you the best with the upcoming Super Bowl in Detroit. It promises to be an exciting and entertaining game.

As you know, by the end of the 2005-2006 season, 10 NFL teams had openings for their head coaching positions. Given that the NFL requires teams seeking head coaches to interview at least one minority candidate, it could reasonably have been expected that there would be at least one new minority head coach in the NFL next season. However, 9 of the 10 teams with head coaching vacancies have now hired new head coaches. While one of the new vacancies was filled with a minority, that person moved from another head coaching job in the NFL; thus, there remain just six minority coaches in the 32-team league. If the last team seeking a new head coach does not hire a minority candidate, there will not be any increase in the number of minority head coaches in the NFL in the 2006-2007 season.

The continuing under-representation of minorities in NFL head coaching positions is very discouraging to the many qualified minorities working as coordinators and position coaches in the NFL, the minority players in the NFL, and the millions of fans who follow the sport and love the game.

Therefore, I am writing to ask you to use the bully pulpit of the commissioner's office to send the strongest possible signal to the owners, players and league's fans that the coaching leadership in the NFL must better reflect the diversity of America. It is unquestioned that if given the opportunity, qualified minority candidates can do an outstanding job.

Thank you for your attention to this most important matter.

Sincerely,

Elijah E. Cummings
Member of Congress

http://www.house.gov/cummings/press/06jan27a.htm