Caleb Harris
For the third year in a row, the NFL will host a few dozen coaches for its accelerator program that will run concurrently with the league’s meetings in Nashville next week.
Twenty-seven coaches from diverse backgrounds, with diverse NFL and college experiences, will participate in the program, which aims to increase diversity at the highest levels of the NFL coaching profession.
The program will see coaches interact with NFL team owners and decision-makers over the course of a few days, while also engaging in programming geared towards their experience levels.
One of the biggest, and perhaps most surprising, names on Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ list.
A former Dolphins coach from 2019 to 2021, Flores filed a class-action lawsuit in 2022 against the league and teams, alleging racial discrimination. This process appears aimed at league arbitration, according to one source.
Flores, who had a 24-25 record with the Dolphins over three years, didn’t get a head coaching interview last cycle. In April, he told reporters there was “no way to know” whether his lawsuit had an impact on his chances. But he said he hopes to be an NFL head coach again someday.
“I do the best I can where I am and wherever the chips fall, they fall.” Flores said in April. “That’s what I tell players. If you prepare the right way and do everything you can to be successful, you’ll have peace with it. You don’t always win. That’s the madness of football.”
Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s chief diversity and inclusion officer, told CBS Sports that a panel of two head coaches, two general managers and four league executives helped choose candidates this year. Almost 80 coaches were nominated by the teams, and this group invited around 40 coaches.
“He [Flores] He was selected by his club because he is a great coach and did a great job,” says Beane. “He has been a head coach before and this is the kind of opportunity where he is able to engage with clubs and ensure he is in their minds if a decision needs to be made. Everyone on this list deserves to be on this list, especially Coach Flores.”
The league has tweaked its curriculum over the years. In 2022, the league had head coach and GM candidates join its program in the spring. Since then, the NFL has divided the programs: placing GM candidates in December meetings, when there are fewer tasks (and just before the hiring cycle), and coaches in the spring.
But with so much movement in the NFL training cycle this offseason, many coaches who have been invited to participate can’t make it to Nashville due to their team’s organized activity schedules.
A new element the league is introducing to the program this year is an exclusive networking event for participants. In the past and again next week, coaches will have an informal networking session one night with team owners and decision makers, which will be followed by a formal “speed dating” networking session during league meetings.
This year, the NFL plans to take participants to Top Golf, where coaches can interact with their peers.
“We want these relationships to deepen. There are mentors who could be mentors. There are mentees who can be mentored,” says Beane. “There are relationships where they could be competing with each other now, but they could be on a team together at some point. And because of that relationship they will be able to lean on each other and trust each other a little more.”
Last year’s program had 40 participants, but there was no head coach in the following cycle. Two participants became coordinators outside of the group last year: Patriots defensive coordinator DeMarcus Covington and Seahawks defensive coordinator Aden Durde.
But the league has seen improvements in head coaching hires when it comes to diversity. Raheem Morris, Dave Canales and Jerod Mayo landed key roles in a cycle that saw seven head coaching vacancies. And the league expects more progress with this program.
“We are happy with the results of the last cycle when it comes to hiring diverse talent and, in particular, black coaches, but these coaches did not participate in an accelerator,” says Beane. “But all you have to do is look at the list of individuals who have participated in the past and those who are participating now and have certainly gotten the interviews and are certainly considered top candidates. We need to get this big opportunity.”
Full list of accelerator participants:
Israel Woolfork (Cardinals), Marquice Williams (Falcons), Al Holcomb (Bills), Eric Washington (Bears), Brandon Lynch (Browns), Lunda Wells (Cowboys), Michael Wilhoite (Broncos), Scottie Montgomery (Lions), Jerrod Johnson (Texans), DeAndre Smith (Colts), Terry Bradden (Chiefs), Rod Wilson (Chiefs), Mike Caldwell (Raiders), Marcus Brady (Chargers), Nate Scheelhaase (Rams), Brian Flores (Vikings), TC McCartney (Patriots ). ), Mike Kafka (Giants), Ron Middleton (Jets), Shawn Jefferson (Jets), Michael Clay (Eagles), Charles London (Seahawks), Karl Scott (Seahawks), Thad Lewis (Buccaneers), Dennard Wilson (Titans), Pep Hamilton and David Shaw.
