The NFL's 2025-26 head coaching carousel is facing some scrutiny, as there were not any new Black head coaches hired.
Ten NFL teams hired new head coaches this offseason. None of the 10 NFL head coaches hired this offseason are Black. There were some recycled names, like Mike McCarthy getting the Steelers job.
New England Patriots passing game coordinator/tight ends coach Thomas Brown was among the Black coaches who interviewed for head coaching jobs. However, Brown, after helping lead the Patriots to a Super Bowl appearance, did not land a head coaching gig.
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Brown told Mike Reiss of ESPN that he has interviewed for several head coaching gigs over the years, though he hasn't landed one.
The NFL is now facing scrutiny from Brown, who certainly isn't alone in his feelings.
Brown calls out league for lack of Black hires
Brown, 40, played in the league at running back, before getting into coaching. He's frustrated by the process and the results.
“It’s a very complex conversation, something that has been a consistent dialogue almost every single year. To say it’s frustrating in some ways is probably an understatement,” Brown said, per ESPN. “I’ve constantly heard this mantra the last six years in the NFL that people hire the most qualified candidates, which I hope is true and accurate. But you’re also seeing almost every time that is never a Black coach. Which is frustrating. I’ve also heard the phrase ‘there’s not many candidates in the pipeline to choose from.’ I do take issue with that, because I’ve been around some high-level great communicators, great connectors of people, at every stop I’ve been.”
The NFL has made it clear that it wants more diverse head coaching hires, but at some point, the results are what they are.
