Success of Black Coaches Could Spur NFL Copycat


The success this season of Black NFL Coaches Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts, the Cincinnati Bengals’ Marvin Lewis and Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears – each long overlooked as potential head coaches before finally getting their chance to lead – means that other Black assistant coaches may not have to wait as long to move up to the NFL ladder. When it comes to success, the NFL is a known copycat.

As many as one-quarter of the teams in the league may get new coaches for next season.
Fired as head coaches were: Mike Sherman of Green Bay, Oakland’s Norv Turner, Mike Tice of Minnesota, St. Louis’ Mike Martz, Don Capers of Houston and New Orleans’ Jim Haslett. In addition to those six, Detroit fired Steve Mariucci in midseason and Dick Vermeil retired at Kansas City. New York Jets Coach Herman Edwards, an African-American, is expected to succeed Vermeil as coach of the Chiefs.

The quickest way to the top is to serve as offensive or defensive coordinator. Three Black defensive coordinators – Tim Lewis of the Giants, Ted Cottrell of Minnesota and Jerry Gray of Buffalo – are considered leading candidates to become a head coach. Others, including San Francisco linebackers coach Mike Singletary, could also be in the running.

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