From an effort begun back in 2002 by Cyrus Mehri and Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. there are now a record eight minority head football coaches in the National Football League.
Based on Mehri and Cochran’s findings, and more than a year of negotiating with the league, each team in the NFL is now required to interview at least one minority applicant when it has an open head coaching and General Manager position.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance, a group which grew out of the original research, spearheaded this effort. And to say that diversity has brought success to the teams that have embraced it would be an understatement: seven of the last ten Super Bowl teams have had either an African-American general manager or head coach.
This movement is now expanding beyond professional football. In 2008 the Division 1-A Athletic Directors’ Association suggested similar interview practices for top job openings at the 120 Division 1-A football programs in college sports.