Ten NFL teams hired new head coaches this year. None of those coaches are Black. Patriots passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Thomas Brown is one of the many Black assistants who interviewed for multiple jobs but wasn’t chosen.
Brown told Mike Reiss of ESPN that getting many interviews over the years but not getting a head-coaching job has been difficult for him.
“It’s a very complex conversation, something that has been a consistent dialogue almost every single year. To say it’s frustrating in some ways is probably an understatement,” Brown said. “I’ve constantly heard this mantra the last six years in the NFL that people hire the most qualified candidates, which I hope is true and accurate. But you’re also seeing almost every time that is never a Black coach. Which is frustrating. I’ve also heard the phrase ‘there’s not many candidates in the pipeline to choose from.’ I do take issue with that, because I’ve been around some high-level great communicators, great connectors of people, at every stop I’ve been.”
The 40-year-old Brown was a college running back who was drafted in the sixth round by the Falcons in 2008. After a three-year NFL playing career, Brown has spent 15 years in coaching, including five games as interim head coach of the Bears in 2024.
The NFL currently has three Black head coaches: Todd Bowles of the Buccaneers, DeMeco Ryans of the Texans)and Aaron Glenn of the Jets.
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