The NFL has admitted that it has a “broken system” of minority hiring. One of the league’s 28 white coaches sounded off on the subject on Thursday.
“I think they’re trying to address it,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said regarding the league’s minority hiring issues. “I think they’re talking about it. I saw what [Broncos coach] Vic [Fangio] said and I saw him apologize for it. It’s tough, because white people don’t feel it. You’re not going to think that person’s racist, but you know what, how the heck are there only four [minority] coaches out of 32 head coaches? How are there only two [minority] GMs?
“I mean, we’re in a predominantly, the majority of our players are black. So, the fact that there’s that few, that’s not debatable. I don’t know if people are openly thinking they’re doing it, which I think that people resort to that, but that’s what the problem is. That number is not debatable and that is an issue. I think we talk about it a lot and it is something that has to get better. I know they’ve thrown out a bunch of stuff. I only speak for myself, I try to hire people that I’ve worked with that are prepared for it and fortunately, that’s worked out well for me. I’ve got a Muslim coordinator, we’ve got a black coordinator. We have a lesbian on our staff. We have everything and it’s not just to show people that we’re trying to be diverse. It’s just because I’ve been around these people and they are really good at what they do. We can’t win without these people and that’s just how it works out.
“I don’t know why the numbers aren’t like that, but the numbers are wrong. That’s stuff that, hell yeah, we want to fix, but it’s not an easy answer. It’s continuing to talk, continuing to, the whole thing with society, everything. It’s all very similar on different levels and that’s why those numbers don’t lie. That’s what makes it a fact. That’s what white people have to admit.”
Amen to all of that. And, as Shanahan said, the NFL is indeed trying to improve the situation. The urgency to do so has only increased in recent days.