Former NFL offensive lineman and assistant coach Eugene Chung recently said that he was told during an interview that he’s “not the right minority.” Chung’s contention has not gone unnoticed.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance, through executive director Rod Graves, has issued a statement regarding Chung’s claim.
“Alleged comments made to Eugene Chung by an NFL team during a recent interview should be investigated by the NFL,” Graves said. “If the comments regarding his status as a Korean American are true, it is further evidence that despite good faith changes to diversity-related policies, the NFL’s actual hiring practices are still riddled with discrimination.”
The NFL has issued no statement regarding Chung’s remark. The statement from the Fritz Pollard Alliance may force the league to chime in and, possibly, to take action.
Chung didn’t name the team when speaking to the Boston Globe. If he’s willing to share the name of the team with the league office, the situation can properly be handled.
Chung may be reluctant to say anything, given that it could make him even harder to land a job with another team. That would be incredibly wrong, but it’s a very real concern for coaches who consider taking a stand. Whoever does it needs to be prepared for the possibility that he’s sacrificing his career.