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A BRIEF HISTORY OF

In 1921, as coach of the Akron Pros, Pollard became the first Black head coach in NFL history. Along with Bobby Marshall, he was also one of the first two Black players. He made history while facing extreme racism. A century later, he's still one of the standards of coaching and Black excellence.

AKRON PROS 1921

FRITZ POLLARD

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BLACK NFL
COACHES 

WRITTEN BY MIKE FREEMAN
Paste BN SPORTS+

ILLUSTRATIONS BY TODD PENDLETON

EDITED BY ALICIA DELGALLO

BLACK NFL
HEAD COACHES

AKRON PROS

Art Shell was the second Black coach in NFL history following Pollard 68 years later - and first in the modern era (considered after the 1970 AFL-NFL merger). Shell is also in the Hall of Fame as an offensive lineman. Many Black coaches consider him a groundbreaker and true hero.

1983-1994, 2006

ART SHELL

Lewis is considered by many Black coaches as A prime example of the racism they face. Lewis was a brilliant coordinator during his time with the Packers from 1992-1999. Still, white Packers assistants with titles lower than his repeatedly won head coaching positions with other teams over Lewis.

SHERMAN LEWIS

LOS ANGELES RAIDERS 
1989-1994, 2006

2006

1983-1994, 2006

2006

1983-2009

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS, 
GREEN BAY PACKERS, 
MINNESOTA VIKINGS, DETROIT LIONS, WASHINGTON

1983-2009

LOS ANGELES RAIDERS 1989-1994, 2006

Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals coach Dennis Green was the second Black head coach in modern NFL history. Green is infamous for a fiery postgame speech, but it shouldn’t overshadow how he was one of the most innovative offensive minds of the 1990s. He coached the Vikings to eight playoff appearances in nine years with seven different starting quarterbacks.

1921-1925

DENNIS GREEN

Dungy is the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl. As head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, he turned the Tampa 2 defensive philosophy into a dominant scheme and one of the most utilized defenses ever. As coach of the Colts, he became a champion.

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, 
1996-2001
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, 2002-2008

TONY DUNGY

When Mike Tomlin won the Super Bowl in 2008, he was the youngest head coach ever to win a championship. He’s never had a losing season in 15 years as head coach. In many ways, with Tomlin we come full circle. Tomlin, like Pollard, sets an example for all coaches, and is viewed with extreme admiration.

2007-PRESENT
PITTSBURGH STEELERS

MIKE TOMLIN

What would Fritz Pollard see when looking at today’s NFL? He’d see progress. Of the 722 on-field coaches in the NFL this season, 314 (or 43.5%) identify as non-white. That is believed to be the largest figure in league history. He’d also see some of the same lack of opportunity he and other Black coaches faced over the decades. There are just SIX head coaches of color out of 32 in a league with a 70% non-white player base. Mostly, Pollard would see the work and sacrifice he and other Black coaches have made wasn’t wasted.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS, 1992-2001
ARIZONA CARDINALS, 2004-2006

MINNESOTA VIKINGS

2004-2006

ARIZONA CARDINALS

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

PITTSBURGH STEELERS

43.5%

70%

of coaches in the NFL identify as non-white
of players in the NFL identify as non-white

TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS, 1996-2001
INDIANAPOLIS COLTS, 2002-2008