In an effort to foster improved opportunities and build relationships, the NFL is holding its inaugural diversity networking event next week in Atlanta in advance of the spring owners' meetings.
More than 60 diverse head coach and general manager prospects, as many as two nominated per team, will meet with ownership representatives from all 32 franchises.
The Texans will be represented by offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton and national scout Mozique McCurtis.
The intent is to upgrade hiring practices and create a better pipeline for becoming a more inclusive league by allowing owners to meet diverse job candidates. The program is called the "NFL coach and front office accelerator."
"The NFL is committed to diversity and inclusion, and this program is the latest in a series of steps designed to improve our hiring practices and create opportunities for advancement," NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said in a statement. "The program helps ensure that clubs receive exposure to high-performing, up-and-coming NFL talent and candidates get a chance to learn the business on a working level from team owners and executives."
Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank added, "I think the Accelerator is some of the most important work the league and our committee will do all year because the potential of the program is exponential. It's an unprecedented opportunity for emerging leaders, owners and team leadership to get to know each other better over these two days, and the relationships formed in this setting will be integral to future hiring cycles."
The NFL currently has one minority owner: Shad Khan (Jacksonville Jaguars).
The league only has five minority head coaches: Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers), Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders), Lovie Smith (Texans), Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins), and Robert Saleh (New York Jets).
During the NFL owners' meetings, the league started a new diversity advisory committee that includes former Texans general manager Rick Smith.
The NFL is now requiring that all teams have a minority or a female as an offensive assistant because there's a trend toward hiring offensive coaches as head coaches. That position would be funded partially by the league through a stipend. The NFL also requires that all teams interview a woman for leadership positions, as the Minnesota Vikings did with Philadelphia Eagles vice president Catherine Raîche for their general manager position. Raîche is expected to be hired as the Cleveland Browns' assistant general manager.
"It's a recognition that at the moment, when you look at stepping stones for a head coach, they are the coordinator positions," said Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, the chairman of the NFL's Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, during the annual NFL owners' meetings. "We clearly have a trend where coaches are coming from the offensive side of the ball in recent years, and we clearly do not have as many minorities in the offensive coordinator [role]."
If a coach is already in that role, that will count, per NFL chief administrative officer Dasha Smith. Additionally, Women are now included in the Rooney Rule. Women and/or people of color can meet the requirement that teams interview two external minorities for top positions, including head coach and general manager. There isn't a requirement to interview them.
"The truth of the matter is that as of today, at least, there aren't many women in the pool in terms of head coach," Rooney said. "We hope that is going to change over the years, but for that reason we didn't see it as inhibiting the number of interviews for racial minorities at this point in time. Obviously, we can address that as time goes on, but for now we didn't see that as an issue. Really, we are looking at probably the early stages of women entering the coaching ranks, so we may be a little ways away before that becomes a problem."
In general, the NFL is not satisfied at all.
"We have been listening to people inside and outside the football community on how we can improve," Rooney II said. "We have seen progress on the general manager front in terms of hiring and in the number of minority coordinators. We are not seeing the kind of progress we would like to see on the head coaching front."
The NFL partnered with the Fritz Pollard Alliance to try to improve results.
"We're invested in the outcome," former Jacksonville Jaguars general manager Michael Huyghue said.
"This is a process," NFL chief diversity officer Jonathan Beane stated. "We are working to enhance our DEI efforts. This is the beginning. There's a lot of work to be done. We're preparing to leave no stone unturned and that we get results."
While the NFL now has an all-time high of 15 minority defensive coordinators, an increase to seven minority general managers, six minority assistant general managers, and an all-time 12 women coaches, the league is disappointed in its numbers of head coaches and offensive coordinators.
The NFL is encouraging that diversity is increased in ownership with prospective ownership groups. However, the NFL said that it would not be lowering the 30% equity stake requirements in terms of funding.
"The membership will regard it as a positive and meaningful factor if the group includes diverse individuals who would have a significant equity stake in and involvement with the club, including serving as the controlling owner of the club," the league said in a statement.
Goodell, in a previous memo to all 32 teams' chief executives and presidents, acknowledged that the league has a long way to go in terms of improving diversity.
In the wake of former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores filing a class-action lawsuit against the NFL that alleges discrimination in the interview and hiring processes and in his dismissal from the AFC East franchise, Goodell spoke out.
"Racism and any form of discrimination is contrary to the NFL's values," Goodell wrote. "We have made significant efforts to promote diversity and adopted numerous policies and programs, which have produced positive change in many areas. However, we must acknowledge that particularly with respect to head coaches, the results have been unacceptable. We will reevaluate and examine all policies, guidelines, and initiatives relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including as they relate to gender.
"We understand the concerns expressed by Coach Flores and others. While the legal process moves forward, we will not wait to reassess and modify our strategies to ensure that they are consistent with our values and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion."
1 of 1 Photo: Getty Images
Here is the full list of coach and front office accelerator participants.
PARTICIPANT NAME
POSITION
Dawn Aponte
SVP, Football Operations & Chief Football Administrative Officer
Kevin Boothe
Director, Management Council / Labor Operations
Kimberly Fields
SVP, Football Business Strategy / Football Operations
NFL Clubs:
CLUB
PARTICIPANT NAME
POSITION
Arizona Cardinals
Quentin Harris
Vice President, Player Personnel
Vance Joseph
Defensive Coordinator
Atlanta Falcons
Charles London
Quarterbacks Coach
Anthony Robinson
Director of College Scouting
Baltimore Ravens
Chris Horton
Special Teams Coordinator
Buffalo Bills
Terrance Gray
Assistant Director of Player Personnel
Eric Washington
Senior Defensive Assistant / Defensive Line Coach
Carolina Panthers
Jeff Nixon
Assistant Head Coach, Offense
Samir Suleiman
Vice President of Football Administration
Chicago Bears
Assistant General Manager
Alan Williams
Defensive Coordinator
Cincinnati Bengals
Trey Brown
Scout
Troy Walters
Wide Receivers Coach
Cleveland Browns
Glenn Cook
Vice President, Player Personnel
Defensive Coordinator
Dallas Cowboys
Assistant Director of College Scouting
Defensive Passing Game Coordinator / Secondary Coach
Denver Broncos
Ejiro Evero
Defensive Coordinator
Kelly Kleine
Detroit Lions
Assistant General Manager
Defensive Coordinator
Green Bay Packers
Jerry Gray
Defensive Backs Coach / Passing Game Coordinator
Director of Pro Personnel
Houston Texans
Pep Hamilton
Offensive Coordinator
Mozique McCurtis
National Scout
Indianapolis Colts
Marcus Brady
Offensive Coordinator
Morocco Brown
Director of College Scouting
Jacksonville Jaguars
Defensive Coordinator
Director of Pro Scouting
Kansas City Chiefs
Offensive Coordinator
Tim Terry
Senior Director of Pro Scouting
Las Vegas Raiders
Dwayne Joseph
Director of Pro Personnel
Los Angeles Chargers
Renaldo Hill
Defensive Coordinator
JoJo Wooden
Director of Player Personnel
Los Angeles Rams
Thomas Brown
Assistant Head Coach / Tight Ends Coach
Ray Farmer
Senior Personnel Executive
Miami Dolphins
Marvin Allen
Assistant General Manager
Jon Embree
Assistant Head Coach / Tight Ends Coach
Minnesota Vikings
Chris Blanco
Assistant Director of Pro Scouting
Chisom Opara
National Scout
New England Patriots
Steve Cargile
Pro Scouting Director
DeMarcus Covington
Defensive Line Coach
New Orleans Saints
Khai Harley
Vice President of Football Administration
Kris Richard
Co-Defensive Coordinator / Secondary Coach
New York Giants
Brandon Brown
Assistant General Manager
Thomas McGaughey
Special Teams Coordinator
New York Jets
Chad Alexander
Director, Player Personnel
Ron Middleton
Tight Ends Coach
Philadelphia Eagles
Brian Johnson
Quarterbacks Coach
Jeff Scott
Director of Football Operations
Pittsburgh Steelers
Frisman Jackson
Wide Receivers Coach
San Francisco 49ers
Ran Carthon
Director of Player Personnel
Seattle Seahawks
Alonzo Highsmith
Senior Executive Advisor to the General Manager
Kerry Joseph
Assistant Quarterbacks Coach
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Jacqueline Davidson
Director of Football Research
Byron Leftwich
Offensive Coordinator
Tennessee Titans
Tony Dews
Running Backs Coach
Brian Gardner
Director of Pro Scouting
Washington Commanders
Randy Jordan
Running Backs Coach
Eric Stokes
Senior Director of Player Personnel
*Participants subject to change