Diversity in sports
FILE - SMU wide receiver Danny Gray runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine March 3, 2022, in Indianapolis. San Francisco 49ers rookie receiver Gray found the ideal workout partner before the draft to prepare him to play with the 49ers' strong-armed quarterback Trey Lance. It just happened to be a former 49ers quarterback known for his his ability to throw with velocity. “I worked out with Colin Kaepernick and he has kind of like a bazooka, too," Gray said Thursday, May 12. "That workout was pretty great. So I think I’m. I think I’m up for the task.” (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall, File)
49ers WR hopes Kaepernick workout prepares him for Lance

By Josh Dubow May. 12, 2022 08:10 PM EDT

FILE - The National Football League logo appears on the 50 yard line for NFL Super Bowl 56 in Inglewood, Calif., Sunday, Feb. 13, 2022. The NFL is telling a judge there are multiple reasons why a lawsuit brought against it by three Black coaches who allege racist hiring practices should fail. (AP Photo/Kyusung Gong, File)
NFL gives defense against Black coaches' discrimination suit

By Larry Neumeister Apr. 21, 2022 04:29 PM EDT

Florida State head coach Leonard Hamilton reacts to a play during an NCAA college basketball game against Virginia in Charlottesville, Va., Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Shurtleff)
Study: Percentage of Black college coaches remains low

By Steve Reed Mar. 03, 2022 03:13 PM EST

Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin watches from the sideline during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs, Sunday, Jan. 16, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Travis Heying)
Why has the 'Rooney Rule' not produced more Black coaches?

By Will Graves Feb. 11, 2022 04:46 AM EST

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores talks to the media before an NFL football practice at Baptist Health Training Complex in Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Fla., Wednesday, Oct. 6, 2021. Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL alleging racist hiring practices. (David Santiago/Miami Herald via AP, File)
Black NFL coaches lament hiring policies that fall short

By Will Graves Feb. 11, 2022 04:29 AM EST

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell speaks at a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
The Latest: Goodell says league 'won’t tolerate racism'

By The Associated Press Feb. 09, 2022 02:43 PM EST

New Houston Texans NFL football team head coach Lovie Smith speaks at an introductory press conference, Tuesday, Feb. 8, 2022, at NRG Stadium in Houston. (Brett Coomer/Houston Chronicle via AP)
Smith becomes 1 of 5 minority head coaches with Texans hire

By Kristie Rieken Feb. 08, 2022 04:21 PM EST

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Fired Miami Dolphins Coach Brian Flores sued the NFL and three of its teams Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022 saying racist hiring practices by the league have left it racially segregated and managed like a plantation. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee, File)
Pro Bowl players echo concerns brought by Flores' lawsuit

By Greg Beacham Feb. 05, 2022 08:50 PM EST

FILE - Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, left, walks off the field next to coach Brian Flores after the team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons in an NFL football game Oct. 24, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Fired Dolphins coach Flores sued the NFL and three teams Tuesday, Feb. 1, over alleged racist hiring practices for coaches and general managers, saying the league remains “rife with racism” even as it publicly condemns it. According to the lawsuit, Ross told Flores he would pay him $100,000 for every loss during the coach’s first season because he wanted the club to “tank” so it could get the draft’s top pick. Messages left with the Dolphins seeking comment were not immediately returned. (John McCall/South Florida Sun-Sentinel via AP, File)
NFL to bolster inclusion policies, probe tanking allegations

By Arnie Stapleton Feb. 05, 2022 11:58 AM EST

FILE - Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores talks with Miami Dolphins center Michael Deiter (63) ahead of the start of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. Fired Miami Dolphins Coach Brian Flores sued the NFL and three of its teams Tuesday, Feb. 1, 2022 saying racist hiring practices by the league have left it racially segregated and managed like a plantation. (AP Photo/Willfredo Lee, File)
Fired Miami Dolphins coach sues NFL, alleging racist hiring

By Larry Neumeister Feb. 01, 2022 04:11 PM EST

Cincinnati Bengals' Ja'Marr Chase signals for a touchdown on a ball caught by Tyler Boyd during the first half of an NFL wild-card playoff football game against the Las Vegas Raider, Saturday, Jan. 15, 2022, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Jeff Dean)
Former NFL CB Hasty works for racial equity in hirings

By The Associated Press Jan. 21, 2022 12:51 PM EST

Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores directs his team during the second half of an NFL football game against the New England Patriots, Sunday, Jan. 9, 2022, in Miami Gardens, Fla. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee)
NFL executives want, expect more Black coaches to be hired

By Rob Maaddi Jan. 15, 2022 12:13 AM EST

Houston Texans head coach David Culley tosses a challenge flag in the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets in Houston, Sunday, Nov. 28, 2021. The Jets won 21-14. (AP Photo/Eric Smith)
NFL earns higher grades for diversity hiring in study

By Aaron Beard Dec. 15, 2021 03:44 PM EST

FILE -Washington Redskins president Bruce Allen stands on the sidelines prior to an NFL football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Washington Redskins, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2017, in Landover, Md. Over the past 100 years, around 110 men and a handful of women have owned controlling portions of NFL teams. Of that select group, all but two have been white. (AP Photo/Mark Tenally, File)
Pipeline: Cascade of white owners has slowed NFL change

By Eddie Pells Dec. 03, 2021 11:26 AM EST

FILE - Carolina Panthers defensive run game coordinator Al Holcomb looks on during warmups before an NFL football game against the Washington Football Team Sunday, Nov. 21, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. As an African American growing up in Queens, New York, Holcomb spent his fall Sundays watching Tom Landry and the Dallas Cowboys on television, and dreaming of one day becoming an NFL head coach. The 51-year-old Holcomb has spent more than a quarter-century chasing that dream — one that eludes him to this day. (AP Photo/Jacob Kupferman, File)
Holcomb still chasing dream of becoming NFL head coach

By Steve Reed Nov. 26, 2021 10:56 AM EST

This photo provided by the NFL shows NFL commissioner Roger Goodell laughing while meeting with Sam Rapoport, center left, the league's senior director of diversity, equity and inclusion, Jane Goodell, right, and Venessa Hutchinson, foreground, senior manager of football operations for the NFL in New York on Aug., 27, 2021. For decades, the road to the NFL for women has been filled with obstacles. It’s begun to open up in recent years, and the stories need to be told. Which leads to Sam Rapoport and “Earnin’ It: The NFL’s Forward Progress,′ a podcast launching Tuesday, Nov. 9.(NFL via AP)
"Earnin' It" an NFL podcast focusing on women in the league

By Barry Wilner Nov. 09, 2021 02:34 AM EST

FILE - In this Aug. 13, 2021, file photo, an NFL logo is displayed on a goal post pad during an NFL preseason football game between the Buffalo Bills and Detroit Lions in Detroit. The NFL has instituted some policy changes to the Rooney Rule designed to further enhance diversity, equity and inclusion in hiring practices. The rule has been expanded to require teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for general manager/executive of football operations positions, and all coordinator roles. Beforehand, the requirement was to interview one minority from outside a team for openings in those positions. (AP Photo/Rick Osentoski, File)
NFL enhances Rooney Rule to help interviewing process

By Barry Wilner Oct. 28, 2021 12:12 PM EDT

FILE - Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden attends a news conference after an NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins in Las Vegas, in this Sunday, Sept. 26, 2021, file photo. Jon Gruden is out as coach of the Las Vegas Raiders after emails he sent before being hired in 2018 contained racist, homophobic and misogynistic comments. Gruden released a statement Monday night, Oct. 11, 2021, that he is stepping down after The New York Times reported that Gruden frequently used misogynistic and homophobic language directed at Commissioner Roger Goodell and others in the NFL.(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri, File)
Fallout continues from Gruden resignation over emails

By Rob Maaddi And Barry Wilner Oct. 12, 2021 07:56 PM EDT

FILE - In this Dec. 19, 1948, file photo, Cleveland Browns fullback Marion Motley, right, stands with coach Paul Brown after a football game against Buffalo in Cleveland. Brown never saw color, and in 1946 he recruited Motley and Bill Willis for his Cleveland team in the All-America Football Conference. (AP Photo/Harold Valentine, File)
Forgotten First: A look at four (and more) NFL trailblazers

By Barry Wilner Sep. 14, 2021 02:11 PM EDT

FILE - In this Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 file photo, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy addresses the media during a news conference for Sunday's NFL AFC championship football game at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. Troy Vincent wrapped up the NFL’s three-day General Manager Forum and Quarterback Coaching Summit with a passionate plea to anyone who still thinks there aren’t worthy Black candidates for head coaching positions. Vincent praised Houston Texans assistant coach Pep Hamilton, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks coach Brian Johnson and several other coaches who gave impressive presentations during this week’s webinar. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel, File)
NFL highlights minority candidates at QB Coaching Summit

By Rob Maaddi Jun. 24, 2021 02:31 AM EDT