Former Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis isn't happy that minority coaching and leadership in the NFL is still a discussion that needs to happen.
“It was offensive, definitely offensive,” said former Ravens defensive coordinator and Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis via the Baltimore Sun. “It was like having Jim Crow laws.”
The NFL is made up of nearly 70 percent African American players, but there are only three black head coaches and two general managers. Lewis does think the rule change that two minority coaches have to be interviewed will help get more eyes on what they can offer.
“We had come a long way as far as assistant coaches, but we never made any inroads in management,” Lewis said. “This will be a plus requiring more than one minority to be interviewed because it will cause them to take a deeper dive. This will allow more minorities more opportunities.”
As much as Lewis likes that rule, he had no interest in the rule that gave teams higher draft picks for hiring minority draft picks. Lewis said that no coach wants to be connected to being hired because of a draft pick.
“Draft picks are like gold,” Lewis said. “That doesn’t make a lot of sense to me. As a head coach, no one wants to be hired or put in that position.”
The draft pick compensation was tabled but it could be discussed later. Hopefully soon, more minorities will be hired so special incentives don't have to be used to get them in charge.
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