Crimson Tide wide receivers are no strangers to the spotlight, but these three stand high above the rest as they are considered a part …
One of the most electric positions in football is wide receiver. At the collegiate level can be flashy, fast and come in all sizes.
Alabama has produced plenty of star talent at the position in recent years. According to ESPN’s Bill Connelly three Crimson Tide receivers are worthy of being on the list of top 50 wide receivers in the last 50 years.
39. Ozzie Newsome (1974-1977)
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“Yes, this is a list of receivers, not tight ends,” writes Connelly. “But before becoming an NFL Hall of Fame TE with the Browns, Newsome came to Tuscaloosa as a 6-foot-4, 195-pound wideout. He even returned punts his junior and senior seasons. I say he qualifies.”
25. Amari Cooper (2012-2014)
Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports
“You don’t see former Bama star Julio Jones on this list simply because he wasn’t asked to do a lot — he averaged under 900 receiving yards per season,” wrote Connelly. “The next great Bama receiver of the Saban era, however, did quite a bit more: After 1,736 yards in two seasons, Cooper exploded for 1,727 and 16 scores as a junior.”
3. DeVonta Smith (2017-2020)
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“Talk about a perfect career: the eighth reception of Smith’s career, a 41-yard touchdown from Tua Tagovailoa, won the national title. The last one, a 42-yard score from Mac Jones, locked up a second. In between were 200+ catches, 40+ scores and the first Heisman win for a receiver since Howard. The skinny 160-pounder from Amite, Louisiana, was a standout even among one of the greatest recruiting classes ever.”
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The Baltimore Ravens started their franchise with a bang, as the team drafted both Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis with their first two picks
The Baltimore Ravens have been a dominant NFL franchise ever since they were introduced to the NFL in 1996. They’ve set a high standard both on and off the field, winning two Super Bowl championships in their first 16 years (2000-2001, 2012-2013) and showing that they have what it takes to be competitive almost every single year.
It’s a major credit to the players that the team has been able to be so successful. However, those players have to get to Baltimore somehow, and that’s a credit to the Ravens’ front office and decision makers. Ozzie Newsome, Eric DeCosta and more have shown that they have a keen eye for identifying talent, something that Newsome put on display during his first draft.
On April 20, 1996, Newsome selected both Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis with his first two selections, some of the best players (if not the best two players) in Ravens history so far.
25 years ago today, the Ravens made their first draft choices, selecting Jonathan Ogden and Ray Lewis
Newsome took Ogden with the No. 4 overall pick, while Lewis was drafted shortly after at pick No. 25. The two went on to have illustrious careers with Baltimore, as Lewis put up over 2,000 career tackles while Ogden started in 176 of the 177 games he played in for the Ravens.
The Ravens probably wish every draft began on April 20th, as 19 years ago today on April 20, 2002, the team selected Ed Reed with the 24th overall selection, who had 61 interceptions during his time with Baltimore. The three of Ogden, Lewis, and Reed are all Hall of Fame inductees.
The first two draft selections for the Ravens paved the way for where the franchise is today. A strong on-field product, a fabulous culture, and a winning attitude all grace over the organization, and those things all were built thanks to fabulous decisions like Newsome made 25 years ago today, and the phenominal play of players like Ogden, Lewis and Reed.
The Baltimore Ravens will have even more vacancies to fill this offseason as the Atlanta Falcons hired scout Dwuane Jones away
The Baltimore Ravens not only have to fill some coaching vacancies, they’ll need to fill at least one front-office position as well. According to Jason Butt of AJC Sports and the team’s website, the Atlanta Falcons have hired Ravens midwest scout Dwuane Jones as their assistant director of college scouting.
The Falcons are in the middle of retooling their entire front office and coaching staff. The team fired bh general manager Thomas Dimitroff and coach Dan Quinn after an 0-5 start to the season. The Falcons have since hired Arthur Smith as their new coach and Terry Fontenot as the new general manager, but now the truly hard work comes in building out the rest of the front office and coaching staff.
The Ravens have been a popular spot for teams to hire coaches and front-office personnel over the years. Just this offseason, Baltimore has seen three defensive coaches and one offensive coach get hired away while several others have been interviewed for positions elsewhere. While the Ravens have been pretty good about being able to successfully fill their coaching vacancies, the scouting department has been another story.
Baltimore has been one of the best teams in the draft since the franchise was created in 1996. Though there’s a long list of successful picks, there was a stretch at the end of Ozzie Newsome’s tenure as general manager where the Ravens stumbled frequently and had many more notable misses than hits. In 2018 during the transition from Newsome to Eric DeCosta at general manager, owner Steve Bisciotti attributed some of those failings to Baltimore’s inability to refill the front office with experienced scouts.
“When we lost those scouts, we didn’t necessarily go out and hire equal scouts to replace them, and I think that was a mistake,” Bisciotti said at his season-ending press conference in Feb. 2018. “I think that in retrospect you can say that you can’t lose those three scouts with 30 years of experience between the three of them and then hire 25-year-olds that are ready to give it the old try.
“I think that it shows that we have not done a very good job of filling in senior people with senior people. That’s something we are going to address starting right now and hopefully rebuild that on the fly, because we can’t wait for 25-year-olds to get as good as Joe Douglas was at 36.”
Jones has been a scout in the NFL — with the New Orleans Saints and Ravens — for nearly 16 years. He joined Baltimore’s front office in 2016 and as the team’s midwest scout, Jones is obviously tied to the Ravens’ selection of quarterback Lamar Jackson in the 2018 NFL draft. Replacing him will be a tall task for DeCosta and the rest of Baltimore’s front office.
Baltimore Ravens’ former GM Ozzie Newsome’s legacy begins with the Cleveland Browns but found new heights in Baltimore.
The phrase “In Ozzie we trust” is a saying Baltimore Ravens fans have commonly used over the years when front-office executive Ozzie Newsome made decisions for the team. Whether it was sustained success in the NFL Draft, landing key contributors in free agency, or his way of managing the roster and salary cap; Newsome helped the Ravens build two Super Bowl champions and create a legacy as one of the most trusted general managers in the game. But with Baltimore taking on the Cleveland Browns tonight, it’s the perfect time to look back at Newsome’s beginning.
During his time at Colbert County High School in Leighton, Alabama Newsome was a multi-sport athlete, leading by example playing football, baseball, and basketball — earning All-America honors in football and basketball. During the 1972 football season, Newsome helped lead Colbert County High to a 13-0 season and state title playing wide receiver and defensive back. Newsome would stay in his home state to play college football for the University of Alabama from 1974-1977. During his time in Alabama, Newsome became a star wide receiver/tight end, playing 48 consecutive games and helping lead Alabama to a 42-6 record and three SEC championships.
Newsome was selected 23rd by the Cleveland Browns and was the second overall tight end to come off the board, becoming the first rookie in 25 years to be named Browns’ Offensive Player of the Year. Newsome played in 198 consecutive games and led Cleveland to three AFC Championships. Considered as one of the greatest tight ends of all time, Newsome finished his playing career after 13 seasons with 662 receptions for 7,980 yards and 47 touchdown receptions — holding various records at the time.
After retiring as an NFL player, Newsome couldn’t stay away from the game or Cleveland, becoming a scout for the Browns. After a few seasons, Newsome was elevated to the Director of Pro Professional under then-coach Bill Belichick. Newsome’s time in Cleveland came to an end after the 1995 season when team owner Art Modell moved the Browns to Baltimore and changed the franchise to the Ravens. Newsome made the transition as Modell’s personal chief in Baltimore, further building his post-playing resume and truly earning that “Wizard of Oz” nickname.
Newsome was adept at finding talent, scouting it, and managing the draft board to land it; showcasing his capability immediately in Baltimore. During the 1996 NFL Draft — the first for the Ravens — Newsome landed offensive tackle Jonathan Ogden and linebacker Ray Lewis with the team’s first two selections, eventually seeing both go on to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Though he largely held the responsibilities without necessarily having the title, Newsome made history in 2002 when he was named the first African-American general manager in the NFL. Newsome would preside over Baltimore’s roster and draft, helping the Ravens build two Super Bowl-winning teams and countless playoff squads before eventually stepping down from the role after the 2018 season to make way for Eric DeCosta to take over the job. Newsome remains with the team as the executive vice president to this day, however.
Newsome’s career took him through Cleveland, both as a player and executive, before continuing his legacy with Baltimore. It’s how he earned a bronze bust and golden jacket in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. And at a time when the Ravens are set to take on the Browns for the second time this season, with their playoff hopes on the line, those roots shouldn’t be forgotten. But, if Dorothy is still searching for the “Wizard of Oz,” she may want to head to Baltimore instead of the Emerald City.
We take a look back at the Baltimore Ravens and New England Patriots rivalry for some of the coolest little facts you might not have known.
In a game many would have expected to be a clash between playoff-bound teams at the start of the season, the Baltimore Ravens take on the New England Patriots in Week 10. The Ravens are 6-2 and still firmly in the hunt for a postseason berth behind the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Patriots are languishing at 3-5 and are looking up at both the Buffalo Bills and the Miami Dolphins in the AFC East.
Before the teams kick off this weekend, here are 10 fun little nuggets about this rivalry for you to take away and share with your friends and family. They will be impressed by the depth of your knowledge and will come to regard you as a font of information and someone whom can clearly be reckoned with. Or they may think you have too much time on your hands. Either way, you should read them.
Ozzie Newsome: A look back at the Browns legend 30 years after his retirement
Believe it or not, it’s been 30 years since Ozzie Newsome hung up his cleats. The greatest tight end in Cleveland Browns history last played in the 1990 season.
Newsome spent his entire 13-year career in Cleveland, quickly establishing himself as a fan favorite and standout as the team’s first-round pick out of Alabama in the 1978 NFL Draft. He was the team’s offensive player of the year as a rookie even though he transitioned from wide receiver to tight end.
He was one of the pioneers of the flexed-out TE spot. Newsome was a mismatch, too fast and nimble for linebackers and too big and smart as a receiver for the strong safeties of the era. It led to sustained greatness.
Always classy and well-respected by opponents, Newsome racked up 89 catches in both the 1983 and 1984 seasons, unprecedented numbers for a tight end. He finished 2nd in the NFL in receptions in both years. Newsome never missed a game, playing 198 total. He caught at least one pass in 195 of them, including 150 in a row at one point, the second-longest streak in history at that time.
When Newsome retired, his 662 career receptions ranked 4th in NFL history and the most of any tight end. Even 30 years after his retirement, Newsome’s 7.980 receiving yards is nearly 1,500 more than the next Browns receiver (Dante Lavelli) on the list. His reception total leads Lavelli (also second here) by an incredible 276 catches.
Newsome, of course, continued with the franchise in the front office upon his retirement. He made the move to Baltimore and took over as the GM, building the Ravens into one of the most consistently successful franchises over the last 20 years. It’s a bitter pill for Browns fans, no doubt, but you seldom heard a bad word about Ozzie Newsome in Cleveland.
Here are some of the top photos of Newsome over the years, including his Hall of Fame induction in 1999:
Joe Douglas has prior success in the undrafted free agent department and hopes to bring that skillset to the Jets this offseason.
A lot has been said and written about Joe Douglas’ ability to build a roster. Whether it’s through free agency or the draft, Douglas proved at every stop he is capable of building a competent team. One of his many skills that goes mostly unnoticed, though, is his ability to identify undrafted rookies who can become contributors and even starters in the league early on.
Douglas played an integral role in finding undrafted free agents for the Ravens during his time as a scout from 2000-2014. Former Ravens GM Ozzie Newsome told ESPN back in March that he put Douglas in charge of finding undrafted free agents to sign during his time as a scout. Thanks to Douglas’ efforts, the Ravens have been one of the most successful franchises when it comes to finding undrafted free agents. They’ve rostered at least one undrafted rookie in 16 consecutive years, according to ESPN. Some of those players included Pro Bowl kicker Justin Tucker, Pro Bowl long snapper Morgan Cox, safety Will Demps and newly-signed Jets linebacker Patrick Onwuasor.
“We’ve made a living getting two or three college free agents a year,” Newsome said. “It started with Joe D. and his ability to lay the foundation for that program.”
The Jets haven’t been awful in the UDFA market, but they haven’t been great, either. Defensive lineman Kyle Phillips is the most recent success story after tallying 39 combined tackles, seven tackles for a loss, six quarterback hits and 1.5 sacks in 2019. Robby Anderson had a great four-year career in New York before he left in free agency. Defensive end Damon Harrison came out of nowhere after going undrafted in 2012 and started every single game for the Jets from 2013-2015 and tallied 193 combined tackles.
Douglas’ arrival means the Jets could soon bear the fruits of his scouting labors. Douglas signed nine undrafted players this offseason – three defensive backs, two wide receivers, two defensive linemen, one edge rusher and one offensive tackle – and the Jets hope to see a similar return on investment that the Ravens enjoyed over the last 16 seasons.
Any of those players could become important for the Jets. Douglas gave edge rusher Bryce Huff the most money of any UDFA – $90,00 guaranteed – and he plays a position of need for the Jets. Offensive tackle Jared Hilbers – who earned a $62,000 guarantee – has a great chance to make the roster as well because of his position in the Jets’ tackle depth chart. Receivers Lawrence Cager and George Campbell would provide big targets for Sam Darnold, and defensive backs Lamar Jackson, Javelin Guidry and Shyheim Carter all have the makings of great depth players in the secondary.
The Jets will need help from anywhere and everywhere after an up and down first season under Adam Gase. Douglas laid the groundwork with a solid offseason, but now it’s on the coaching staff and the players to put it all together. There is still a big need across the roster, and Adam Gase will need help from anywhere and everywhere in order to field a winning team.
A look at the reasons why spirits should be high in Baltimore and their tradition as one of the best franchises in football will continue.
I know it can be disheartening when a team with one of the best seasons in franchise history –maybe even NFL history if you count all the records broken — suffers an unexpected and somewhat uncharacteristic loss at the hands of a seemingly lesser team. But for the Baltimore Ravens, all is certainly not lost after the 2019 season.
Sure, every season is a proverbial question mark before it eventually takes shape, even for the most successful NFL franchises when you account for all the variables. But the Ravens have a lot to be excited about heading into what is typically an uncertain future.
Let’s take a look at 10 reasons why spirits should be high in Baltimore and their tradition as one of the best franchises in football will continue.
Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
Lamar Jackson
We have to start with the NFL’s most electric quarterback. It’s hard not to be excited about the future with the prospect of Jackson leading the offense in Baltimore for years to come.
In only his second year, Jackson seemingly defied all the odds, all the naysayers, and all the NFL records on his way to an unprecedented season and MVP honor.
Even though he has yet to win a playoff game, what Jackson accomplished this season — passing for over 3,000 yards, rushing for the new league record by a quarterback, and leading the league in touchdown passes — was nothing short of remarkable. His losses in the postseason are only fueling his desire to win and ultimately fulfill his promise of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in Baltimore.
The Baltimore Ravens had a phenomenal 2019 season. Taking a look back, there is plenty to takeaway in order to improve in 2020.
When the 2019 season started for the Baltimore Ravens, there was excitement in the air but also senses of cautious optimism and eagerness. Questions about how good Baltimore was going to be were looming and some didn’t believe the team could take the next step forward. However, the Ravens finished the 2019 regular season with a 14-2 record, which was the best mark in franchise history.
Throughout the year much was learned about this Baltimore team. As we transition into the offseason, it’s important to look back on the season and see where the Ravens grew and what we learned.
As it’s been over a month since our last taste of Ravens football, let’s take a look at a few takeaways from the 2019 season for Baltimore.
Photo by David Eulitt/Getty Images
Lamar Jackson is the real deal
The biggest question facing the Ravens at the start of the 2019 season was whether Jackson could be the long-term solution at quarterback. Many critics doubted his ability to improve as a passer, noting the questionable accuracy of his rookie season as proof. Now, it’s safe to say those questions were put to rest and Baltimore absolutely knows they’ve got the future of the position under center.
During his MVP campaign, Jackson threw for 3,127 yards and 36 touchdowns compared to just six interceptions. It’s even more impressive when you consider Jackson sat out Week 17 and was rested in the fourth quarter of five different blowout wins. He improved on many aspects of his game including his footwork and reading the field which led to better accuracy and fewer turnovers.
Despite those improvements, arguably the most important evolution in his game was his awareness to be smart with his body, avoiding big hits and giving up a yard occasionally to make sure that he didn’t put himself in danger of a long-term injury. Seeing anyone get hit hard can raise some concern but Jackson has received a lot of criticism for his play-style as a quarterback.
Jackson proved with his play that he is the answer for Baltimore. He has everything the team needs and wants in a franchise quarterback, and he hasn’t even hit his ceiling yet. He has a bright future, both on and off the field.
Throughout the NFL’s history, black coaches have struggled to find their place. That they still are after 100 years is shameful.
As we head into a 2020 offseason in which about 70% of the NFL’s players are black, and the NFL itself is celebrating a 100th anniversary that is filled with all kinds of racial inequality, the current state of black head coaching candidates, and other candidates of color, should be a much bigger concern than it is. How did we get here, and why does the NFL fail to find a solution to what seems to be a simple problem of excellence and equality?
Black Monday
Dec 9, 2018; Carson, CA, USA; Cincinnati Bengals special assistant to the head coach Hue Jackson, right, points something out to Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis in the second quarter of the game against the Los Angeles Chargers. (Kareem Elgazzar/The Cincinnati Enquirer-USA TODAY NETWORK)
At the end of the 2018 regular season, the usual number of eight NFL head coaches found themselves on the wrong side of the employment curve. But that rash of firings was unique in that it almost completely cleared the league of its black head coaches.
Cleveland’s Hue Jackson, Cincinnati’s Marvin Lewis, Arizona’s Steve Wilks, Denver’s Vance Joseph, and Todd Bowles of the Jets were all cashiered in or after the 2018 season, pushing the total of black head coaches to two — Anthony Lynn of the Chargers, and Mike Tomlin of the Steelers. The Dolphins replaced Adam Gase with former Patriots linebackers coach/defensive coordinator Brian Flores, which put the number at three.
Now, it could be argued at the time that the firings were legitimate. Lewis had 16 years to make the Bengals successful, and by most standards, he didn’t do enough. Jackson deserved to be fired, and he probably should take some time to assess his shortcomings before he gets another shot. Wilks, Joseph, and Bowles were in the wind because they didn’t have enough of a voice in the vision. They didn’t have a real stake in the game, and when it was time to place blame, they were the easy marks.
Of the available head coaching opportunities after the carnage following the 2019 regular season, only one minority candidate was hired, and that was Ron Rivera by the Washington Redskins, after he was fired by the Carolina Panthers. Rivera’s replacement is former Baylor head coach Matt Rhule, who received a seven-year, $60 million contract that could reach $70 million with incentives. Rhule, who was also high on the Giants’ list before Panthers owner David Tepper priced everybody else out of the building, has exactly one season of NFL experience — as the Giants’ assistant offensive line coach in 2012. That’s not to say Rhule won’t be successful in his new position, but it does beg the question: Why were the Panthers not interested in monority candidates with far more NFL experience?
The Giants were okay with Rhule landing with Tepper because they were on the track of former Patriots special-teams coordinator and receivers coach Joe Judge. While Judge does have eight seasons of experience under Bill Belichick in Foxborough, and three more seasons with Nick Saban at Alabama, that doesn’t make the complete lack of minority interviews or interests any less glaring.
Now, the only head coaching position left is in Cleveland, after the Browns fired Freddie Kitchens, who got the job following a 2018 season in which he excelled as the team’s offensive coordinator over half a season. Kitchens’ tenure as a head coach was defined by an overall lack of discipline and unity, and one of the highest penalty rates in the league. To date, the Browns have not expressed interest in a single minority candidate; they are currently on the hook to interview Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, Vikings offensive coordinator Kevin Stefanski, and Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz.
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
The buzz around McDaniels and Stefanski raises an interesting question about the fate of Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy. Bieniemy’s two predecessors, Doug Pederson and Matt Nagy, each found themselves with head coaching opportunities with the Eagles and Bears, respectively, after successful runs under Andy Reid. But Bieniemy is going oddly overlooked in this process, and it’s certainly not because teams would get an off-putting reference from Reid. The Giants did request permission to interview Bieniemy, at which point Reid made his feelings public.
“You guys know how I feel about Eric,” Reid told reporters on December 31. “I think he would be tremendous. I don’t know the team, but there is a team out there that could really use him. Being the leader of men that he is, you’re not going to find people better than that in that category. He’s a sharp offensive mind on top of that.
“I’m a big fan. Don’t want to lose him, but reality is that there is a good chance that happens.”
Well, perhaps not.
The ongoing struggle
According to a recent study conducted by the Global Sport Institute at Arizona State University along with the Paul Robeson Research Center for Innovative Academic & Athletic Prowess at the University of Central Florida College of Business, and revealed publicly by Martenzie Johnson of The Undefeated, black coaches have long struggled to find the same opportunities their white colleagues receive, regardless of experience or success.
The study showed that the primary path to a head coaching position in the NFL is through the role of offensive coordinator. Since 2009, nearly 40% of head coaches hired were former offensive coordinators and at least 77% of those offensive coordinators each season were white. During the 2010, 2011 and 2016 hiring seasons, every newly hired offensive coordinator was white; and since 2009, 91% of offensive coordinator hires have been white. At this time, Bienemy and Tampa Bay’s Byron Leftwich are the NFL’s only black offensive coordinators.
The study also showed that that after leaving a position, 14% of white coaches were hired as head coaches again the following season compared with just 7% of minority coaches. Hue Jackson, who has been the Raiders’ and Browns’ head coach, was the only example of a black head coach doing it. Meanwhile, the NFL has re-hired Mike Mularkey (twice), John Fox (twice), Chip Kelly, Adam Gase, Pat Shurmur, Bruce Arians, Doug Marrone, and Mike McCarthy. McCarthy took a year off between his firing from the Packers and his Cowboys hire, though had he made himself available sooner, there’s little doubt he would have received an opportunity or two. Or three.
Marvin Lewis doesn’t have an NFL job; he spent the 2019 season as a special advisor to Herm Edwards at Arizona State. Vance Joseph is the Cardinals’ defensive coordinator. Bowles has that same title in Tampa Bay, where he engineered a remarkable single-season turnaround. The Buccaneers went from 32nd in Defensive DVOA to fifth on his watch.
There’s no way to know whether any of them will get another opportunity to succeed as a head coach after previous “failures.” There’s no way to know whether they’ll be able to rebuild their head coaching resumes after instances in which things didn’t work out, as coaches like Belichick, Reid, and Pete Carroll have.
(Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports)
There’s no way to know whether current Dolphins assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach Jim Caldwell will ever get another opportunity. The Lions fired Caldwell after three seasons in which he had a regular-season record of 36-28. Ex-Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia followed Caldwell, and has a 9-22-1 record in two seasons. Caldwell designed the offense that helped the 2012 Baltimore Ravens win Super Bowl XLVII. He led the Colts to 24 wins and just eight losses in his first two seasons as the Colts’ head coach in 2009 and 2010; he was let go after a 2011 season in which Peyton Manning’s injuries left the team with Curtis Painter, Dan Orlovsky, and Kerry Collins as its quarterbacks, and a defense that was among the league’s worst.
Caldwell, to our knowledge, has not received any interest in a third opportunity.
A rule is not enough
The Rooney Rule, which the NFL established in 2002 after civil rights attorneys Cyrus Mehri and Johnnie Cochran released a study stating that black head coaches, despite winning a higher percentage of games, were less likely to be hired and more likely to be fired than their white counterparts, is not an effective enough gatekeeper to stop this problem. Insisting that teams interview a minority candidate before hiring their preferred candidate has always been an insult to both the teams and the minority candidates. Sham interviews are no good to anybody, and there’s little evidence that Rooney Rule interviews have led to head coaching opportunities.
Not to mention the fact that when the Detroit Lions were found to be in violation of the Rooney Rule in 2003 by hiring Steve Mariucci without interviewing any minority candidates, all the NFL did was to fine team president Matt Millen $200,000. Not exactly an object lesson.
The obvious solution is to have more people of color in decision-making roles, though Newsome — who ran the Ravens from 1996 through 2018 and is unquestionably the most successful black executive in NFL history — never hired a black head coach. Not that he should have had to. Baltimore has had three head coaches in its history — Ted Marchibroda, Brian Billick, and John Harbaugh. Billick and Harbaugh each won Super Bowls, and Harbaugh has the NFL’s best team this season.
Chairman & Owner Stephen Ross, Head Coach Brian Flores, and General Manager Chris Grier of the Miami Dolphins pose for the media after announcing Flores as their new head coach on February 4, 2019 in Davie, Florida. (Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images)
The only black general manager/head coach combination in the NFL at this point is happening in Miami, where GM Chris Grier and head coach Brian Flores are trying to rebuild a broken Dolphins franchise after years of coaching malfeasance and weird personnel decisions. It’s sad to say that Grier and Flores are not only unique in their current pairing, but also may have the most severe uphill climb.
Creating the right fight
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (L) presents Dan Rooney, team owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, with the Vince Lombardi trophy after the Steelers won 27-23 against the Arizona Cardinals during Super Bowl XLIII on February 1, 2009. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)
What’s the real solution? To hold those in power accountable. No progressive action in NFL history has come about though anything other than the threat of legal action, or the revocation of stadium privileges. The latter forced the 1946 Los Angeles Rams to finally look at talented UCLA players like Kenny Washington and end the ban on black players that the NFL had held since the 1934 season. The Rams had moved from Cleveland, and they were told in a meeting with the Coliseum Commission to decide the Rams’ tenancy at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum that it would be in their best interests to break the ban.
And in the early 1960s, when Redskins owner George Preston Marshall refused to have his team become the last to integrate, Stewart L. Udall, John F. Kennedy’s Secretary of the Interior, pressed Marshall with the idea than an organization which practiced discrimination would not be allowed to use District of Columbia Stadium, which was named after Robert F. Kennedy following Kennedy’s 1968 assassination. Marshall had no choice but to bend.
The pressure from multiple parties that forced the NFL to institute the Rooney Rule is but another example, and that same kind of pressure needs to be brought to bear again — through awareness, activism, and whatever leverage cities and governments may have when it comes time for public money to be used in the construction and renovation of stadiums and training facilities.
The idea is not to create a quota or a requirement on either side. The idea should never be to gift unfair advantage to one party or another. The idea should be for the best candidates to get the best opportunities, and in today’s NFL, that simply isn’t happening. It especially isn’t happening since the axe fell on so many black coaches during and after the 2018 season.
Touchdown Wire editor Doug Farrar previously covered football for Yahoo! Sports, Sports Illustrated, Bleacher Report, the Washington Post, and Football Outsiders. His first book, “The Genius of Desperation,” a schematic history of professional football, was published by Triumph Books in 2018 and won the Professional Football Researchers Association’s Nelson Ross Award for “Outstanding recent achievement in pro football research and historiography.”
