The NFL, which has long strived for more diversity among its coaching ranks, will have as many minority coaches as it’s ever had in the 2017 season.
With eight minority head coaches -- the Chargers’ Anthony Lynn, Denver’s Vance Joseph, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Detroit’s Jim Caldwell, Cleveland’s Hue Jackson, the Jets’ Todd Bowles and Carolina’s Ron Rivera -- the league has the most minority coaches it has had at the start of any season. There were also eight minorities coaching NFL teams in 2011.
The 49ers still have an opening, so it’s possible a ninth minority head coach could be hired. That seems unlikely, however, as the only minorities the 49ers interviewed -- Lynn and Joseph -- have already been hired elsewhere.
The NFL had six minority head coaches last season.