You’d think that more Black representation in executive leadership would lead to more Black coaches hired, but the odd thing is both hired white head coaches with no experience when there were overqualified Blacks available.
The first question you have to ask is did either GM make the hire?
Poles hired Colts defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, and Adofo-Mensah chose Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell, whom he couldn’t officially hire until the Super Bowl was over.
All the while, there’s Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who’s been the preeminent offensive guru in the NFL the past four seasons. Bieniemy interviewed for 15 jobs since 2019, landing none.
Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, who was thought to be the favorite in Jacksonville, was passed over for Super Bowl-winning coach Doug Pederson, which in reality is a solid move. However, he’s ridiculously qualified for more than one of the nine job openings this past season. Others, like former head coaches Todd Bowles and Raheem Morris, are also overqualified Blacks not being given the time of day to lead a franchise again.
Owners Are Starting To Hire Coaches Before GMs: Setting A Backward Precedent
The Vikings and Bears both began their respective coaching searches prior to naming a GM. After making GM hires, both moved swiftly to hire coaches that were essentially interviewed by someone other than the newly-hired GM.
This is backward, as it is vital that the GM and head coach share the same vision. The best-run organizations do it the correct way; they hire a GM, who then hires his guy, which assures that both are pulling in the same direction.
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