The NFL had somewhat of a tumultuous season in 2022. And while its popularity continues to rise, it seems every year there are questions surrounding the sport. Those questions are usually rooted in the violence and safety of the game and discrimination against black players and coaches.
CNN recently discussed the most controversial events of the season and lists former Texans head coach Lovie Smith's firing as one of them. CNN claims this "highlights claims of discrimination against Black coaches."
When Smith was hired by the Texans in February, he doubled the number of black head coaches in the league. Out of 32 teams in the NFL, just two employed black head coaches.
“There’s a problem,” Smith said at the time.
Smith and the Texans went just 3-13-1, winning two of their final three games. In January, Smith was fired, becoming the second black coach to be let go by the franchise in the last two seasons.
A couple of weeks later, former Texans player DeMeco Ryans was hired to replace him.
The NFL has had to face questions for a number of years regarding the lack of diversity in the head coaching ranks. Some saw Smith's firing as yet another example.
“The Houston Texans have fired Lovie Smith after 1 year,” former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III tweeted following the news. “Using 2 Black Head Coaches to tank and then firing them after 1 year shouldn’t sit right with anyone,” he added, referring also to previous coach David Culley, who was also canned after one season.
NFL Hall of Famer Michael Irvin echoed Griffin's comments.
“It’s a mess in Houston, and they bring these guys in and they use them as scapegoats,” Irvin said on ESPN. “And this is what African American coaches have been yelling about for a while and it’s blatant, right in our face.”
Former Dolphins head coach Brian Flores - who, on Friday was hired as the defensive coordinator for the Vikings - filed a federal civil lawsuit in 2022 against the NFL and several teams alleging racial discrimination in the league's hiring practices.
Since the lawsuit was filed, additional coaches - Steve Wilkes and Ray Horton - have joined in the suit with Flores.
Those within the league office might understand the need for diversity, but they have nothing to do with the hiring process for NFL head coaches. That's on the team owners.
While the league can protect itself with initiatives and rules regarding the interview process, it can do nothing for the hiring practices the teams currently employ.
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