The NFL coaches project

As part of a wide-ranging analysis of 2022 NFL coaching staffs, USA TODAY Sports found stark disparities in the racial makeup of coaches based on the positions they coach — evidence of subconscious segregation that has helped funnel white assistants to coordinator and head coaching positions while stunting the progress of their Black counterparts. READ MORE

Inside the NFL owners meeting: White coaches challenge owners on league's diversity woes

Pete Carroll, John Harbaugh, Frank Reich and Andy Reid called on owners to make 'more progress' hiring Black coaches. “We were speaking from our hearts. And what that was, was, `Listen, we need to see some results,’” Reich told USA TODAY Sports. READ MORE

Interim stints are brief and brutal, especially for Black NFL coaches

Since 2000, only 26% of interim stints have led to a full-time head coaching job with the same team the following year, according to a USA TODAY Sports analysis. And for Black interim coaches, like Carolina's Steve Wilks, the odds are even more bleak. READ MORE

'Didn't look the part': The reasons Black NFL coaches don't get head coaching jobs

For decades, Black coaches privately acknowledged the reasons teams prevented them from NFL head coaching positions. Now, the NFL is saying the quiet part out loud. These are the excuses the league says they've heard from teams when asked why Black coaches who interviewed for top spots during recent hiring cycles weren't hired. READ MORE

Graphic novel: A brief history of Black NFL coaches 

Celebrating six trailblazers throughout NFL history: Fritz Pollard, Art Shell, Sherman Lewis, Dennis Green, Tony Dungy and Mike Tomlin. These Black coaches paved the way for future generations, and many continue to advocate for increased awareness, accountability and change. READ MORE

What we learned: Four key findings from USA TODAY's analysis of NFL coaches

In an effort to help answer that question and others, USA TODAY Sports compiled a wide range of data on each of the 722 on-field coaches in the league this season – including information such as age, race, gender, family ties, playing experience and career paths. The data provides a snapshot of where the league stands in terms of coaching diversity, illustrating that, while more coaches of color are entering the league, some of its longstanding issues remain. READ MORE

Which NFL teams have the most diverse coaching staffs?

With the 2022 NFL season now well underway, USA TODAY Sports compiled career histories and biographic information for each of the 722 on-field coaches in the league this year, from head coaches and coordinators to quality control coaches and fellows. This interactive story provides snapshots of that information for all 32 NFL teams, and ranks each franchise by the percentage of coaches on staff who identify as coaches of color. READ MORE

Cincinnati Bengals' about-face on coaching diversity exemplifies NFL's struggles | Opinion

Nearly 20 years after the Rooney Rule was created, the NFL’s most important positions are largely white. To understand why, look no further than the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals have the least diverse staff in the NFL this season, with non-white coaches making up 24% of Zac Taylor’s 21-man staff. Cincinnati has three times as many white coaches (16) as non-white (five), including Taylor and his three coordinators. Since Taylor replaced Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati’s first Black head coach, before the 2019 season, the Bengals have ranked at or near the bottom of the league in diversity READ MORE

NFL's path to top jobs still narrow, lengthy for coaches of color

A visual story on the career paths of all 32 NFL head coaches for the 2022 season. That is rarely a straight line. Some started in college football. Others started as scouts. Some started at the lowest ranks as quality control coaches, while others parlayed their playing experience into positions higher on the coaching ladder. One common thread among them: In the past decade, 58 of the 72 head coaches hired by NFL teams have been white, according to the NFL's most recent diversity and inclusion report. READ MORE

With monumental NFL lawsuit, Brian Flores boldly stepped where others desired | Opinion

Flores was so disgusted by hiring practices in the NFL that he filed a class-action discrimination lawsuit against the league and four of its teams in February. Win or lose, Flores, 41, is already viewed as a hero in the community of current and former Black coaches because he was willing to risk his career and take a stand — something others considered but never followed through with over the years. READ MORE

Often interviewed, never hired: How hot-shot minority NFL head coaching candidates go cold

With this year's NFL coaching carousel in full swing, USA TODAY Sports set out to examine how the Rooney Rule has impacted hiring of head coaches of color. These coaches get more interviews, but still do not get hired very often. Repeated interviews without ever getting the job can become a stain on the resumes of  these candidates. Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has interviewed for a head coaching job more than a dozen times. READ MORE