• Fri. Mar 29th, 2024

December 10, 2015, Troy, NY  In 2003, The Fritz Pollard Alliance, was founded to help promote the hiring of minorities in the National Football League. Pollard was born Frederick Douglass Pollard on January 27, 1894 in Chicago, IL. Pollard received a Rockefeller scholarship to attend Brown University. In 1915, he became the first African American to play in the Rose Bowl.

In 1919, while employed as the football coach at Lincoln University, he was recruited to play for the Akron Pros, a professional team in Ohio. The Pros joined the American Professional Football Association in 1920. The following year he performed double duty as player coach, becoming the first African American coach in the league. In 1922, the APFA was renamed the National Football League.

The first African American head coach during the Super Bowl era, was Art Shell. Shell, who enjoyed a Hall of Fame career as an offensive lineman with the Oakland Raiders, was named the interim 1989 replacing Mike Shanahan. Shell led the Los Angeles Raiders to the AFC Championship in his first season.

Tony Dungy of the Indianapolis Colts and Lovie Smith of the Chicago Bears became the first African American men to lead teams into the Super Bowl. Dungy emerged victorious in Super Bowl XLI. Mike Tomlin became the 2nd African American to win as a head coach in a victory over the Arizona Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII. Tomlin also became the first and only to make 2 appearances as a head coach, losing to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. African American coaches have a record of 2-3 in the Super Bowl with Jim Caldwell losing in Super Bowl XLIV as head coach of the Indianapolis Colts after replacing Dungy, who had retired.

At the start of the 2015 season, five franchises are led by African Americans: Todd Bowles, New York Jets; Jim Caldwell, Detroit Lions; Marvin Lewis, Cincinnati Bengals; Lovie Smith, Tampa Bay Buccaneers; and Mike Tomlin, Pittsburgh Steelers. Bowles is the rookie of the bunch and the only one with NFL playing experience. Caldwell is the only one with an offensive background, as QB coach with the  Colts and as offensive coordinator with the Ravens. Bowles, Lewis, Smith and Tomlin are all former defensive coordinators.

Todd Bowles, Jets, 1st season, 2015 record 7-5, 2nd in AFC East

Jim Caldwell, Lions, 5th season, 2nd with Lions (14-12) 2015: 4-8, 4th NFC North

Marvin Lewis, Bengals, 13th season, 108-90-2, 2015: 10-2, 1st AFC North

Lovie Smith, Buccaneers, 11th season, 2nd with Bucs (8-20) 2015: 6-6 2nd NFC South

Mike Tomlin, Steelers, 9th season, 88-48, 2015: 7-5 2nd AFC North

Postseason records:

Bowles: none

Caldwell: 2-3, (0-1 Lions )lost Super Bowl XLIV with the Colts,

Lewis: 0-6, winless

Smith: 3-3, lost Super Bowl XLI with the Bears

Tomlin: 5-4, won Super Bowl XLIII, lost Super Bowl XLV

Bowles has a Super Bowl ring as a player with the Washington Redskins; Caldwell has two, one with the Colts and 1 with the Ravens as an assistant; Lewis won as the defensive coordinator of the Ravens in 2000; Tomlin won 1 as the defensive backs coach with the Bucs in 2003.

The Bengals are battling the Broncos and Patriots for a first round bye. Cincinnati could earn their first postseason win since 1990. The Jets and Steelers have outside shots at Wild Card berths. Each probably has to win their remaining 4 games. The Bucs could finish with a winning record and the Lions could finish .500. Caldwell is on shaky ground, Detroit has replaced their team president and GM. Will a third African American coach become a victor  in Super Bowl L? Only time will tell.

By Vernon McKenzie

Graduate of New Institute Of Technology with a BA in Communications with a focus on Television Radio. Owner and Executive Producer of PureSportsNY

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