The story about the NFL’s Accelerator Program, which kicks off Monday to introduce up-and-coming coaches and front-office people to club owners with the hope it increases their future hiring opportunities, should be different.
It should be that two former quarterbacks — Josh McCown and Mike Kafka — are in the program hoping to become head coaches.
It should be that Catherine Hickman, a female and a Canadian, is in the program as she eyes an NFL general manager job.
It should be that former head or interim head coaches — Mike McDaniel, Kafka, Darren Rizzi, David Shaw and Jeff Ulbrich — are trying to become NFL head coaches again.
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The story could even be that family ties are still in play for the league because Mike Bradway’s father is longtime NFL executive Terry Bradway’s son, Adam Berry is the twin brother of Browns general manager Andrew Berry, and John McKay’s father is longtime NFL executive Rich McKay, who is former Buccaneers and USC coach John McKay’s son.
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All this is notable about the Accelerator Program, except that the story that glows in neon about the program now is instead about race. Black or White.
The NFL made it about race in 2022 when it established the Accelerator Program in order to “build a stronger pipeline of talent to the league’s most senior coaching and front office positions by providing leadership development and opportunities for networking directly with club owners.”
The program put potential coaches, general managers and team presidents in meeting settings with owners in order to put them on track to be hired. Except the NFL limited those meeting opportunities to Black people. And women. And other minorities.
But not white men.
That became problematic for the league last year and the program was “paused,” per the NFL. This year, the program is back.
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But now it includes White men and, well, anyone sent to the program by individual clubs regardless of race.
This year, there are 34 NFL coaches and front office people in the Accelerator Program and they will be meeting with owners in Orlando in the next couple of days.
And 18 of the participants are White, 14 are Black, and two are biracial.
The NFL initially believed the Accelerator Program, which was part of its diversity, equity and inclusion push, was going to even the proverbial playing field for minority job candidates. It mostly did not, as only one head coach (Aaron Glenn) and two general managers (Ran Carthon and Ian Cunningham) were hired after participating.
The problem with the NFL’s initial reach for equity and inclusion is it was neither equitable nor inclusive for White people people.
That has changed this year. So, perhaps the stories coming out of the program in the future won’t be about race.
The participants:
Jeff Ulbrich (Atlanta Falcons coach): White.
Terrance Gray (Buffalo Bills front office): Black.
Dan Pitcher (Cincinnati Bengals coach): White.
Catherine Hickman (Cleveland Browns front office): White female.
Glenn Cook (Cleveland Browns front office): Black.
Klayton Adams (Dallas Cowboys coach): White.
Cam Williams (Denver Broncos front office): Black.
Darren Rizzi (Denver Broncos coach): White.
David Shaw (Detroit Lions coach): Black.
Mike Kafka (Detroit Lions coach): White.
Milt Hendrickson (Green Bay Packers front office): White.
Chris Blanco (Houston Texans front office): Black.
Nick Caley (Houston Texans coach): White.
James Liipfert (Houston Texans front office): White.
Chris Hewitt (Indianapolis Colts coach): Black.
Grant Udinski (Jacksonville Jaguars coach): White.
Eric Bieniemy (Kansas City Chiefs coach): Black.
Mike Bradway (Kansas City Chiefs front office): White.
Chad Alexander (Los Angeles Chargers front office): Black.
Mike McDaniel (Los Angeles Chargers coach): Biracial.
John McKay (Los Angeles Rams front office): White.
Nate Sheelhaase (Los Angeles Rams coach): Black.
Josh McCown (Minnesota Vikings coach): White.
Terrell Williams (New England Patriots coach): Black.
Brandon Brown (New York Giants front office): Black.
Adam Berry (Philadelphia Eagles front office): Black.
R.J. Gillen (San Francisco 49ers front office): White.
Josh Williams (San Francisco 49ers front office): Black.
Aden Durde (Seattle Seahawks coach): Biracial.
Nolan Teasley (Seattle Seahawks front office): White.
Mike Greenberg (Tampa Bay Buccaneers front office): White.
Dan Sagany (Tennessee Titans front office): White.
Daronte Jones (Washington Commanders coach): Black.
Lance Newmark (Washington Commanders front office): White.
