Return to Transcripts main page
CNN Live Saturday
NFL Has A Lack Of Minority Head Coaches
Aired August 23, 2003 - 12:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to move on to another story. The NFL gearing up for another season with a notorious lack of African-American head coaches. In a league where the majority of players are black, only a few head coaches are. CNN's Josie Burke looks at what's being done to change that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ted Cottrell did not want to be here again this season. The New York Jets defensive coordinator had hoped to be a head coach by now. In the off season, he interviewed for the top job with the San Francisco 49ers.
TED COTTRELL, NFL COACH: No, I didn't get the job, but I always look at the positive part of this thing, too. I've got a lot of positive publicity. I keep saying positive, and that's the thing that you -- you want to stay that way.
BURKE: After more than 20 years as an NFL assistant, Cottrell has left to try his luck next time because the 49ers gave the job to Dennis Erickson. Erickson is one of five head coaches hired since last season. Only one of those men, Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis, is black. Lewis joins the Colts Tony Dungy and the Jets Herman Edwards as the only black coaches in a league where nearly 70 percent of the players are African-Americans.
COTTRELL: America has a problem, not the National Football League. America has a problem as far as I'm concerned. When you look at all of corporate America, how many minorities, whether it be men or women, are in key positions? And I think we're just a part of America. And obviously our league is trying to do something about it.
BURKE: Late last year, the NFL began requiring all teams with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate. When the Detroit Lions failed to follow that edict, team president, Matt Millan, was slapped with a $200,000 fine. The Lions claimed they wanted to interview five minority candidates, but every one turned them down because each assumed the Lions intended to hire Mariucci all along.
COTTRELL: They figured that Steve had the job. You know, so it was just -- it was just a formality to try to adhere to the policy. I've done a few of those. And I'm tired of just going through the practicing, because I know what's involved. I know the procedure, and I know quite a few questions that will be asked of me. So I don't need to do that practice. I need the real thing. BURKE: The NFL enacted its new policy just months after a group led by attorneys Johnnie Cochran and Cyrus Mehri threatened to sue the league for discrimination.
CYRUS MEHRI, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: We've talked to so many minority coaches that are ready, willing and able to compete for these jobs. All they want is that door to be open just a little bit so they can get in the door in a face-to-face interview and show their wears.
GENE UPSHAW, NFLPA EXECUTIVE DIR: Owners have recognized that there is a vast amount of talent in the assistant coaches rank. We have to now elevate and move that group up to coordinators and then up to head coaches. Once that happens, we will then be where we need to be.
BURKE: For Ted Cotrell, that moment can't come soon enough. Josie Burke, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired August 23, 2003 - 12:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Now we want to move on to another story. The NFL gearing up for another season with a notorious lack of African-American head coaches. In a league where the majority of players are black, only a few head coaches are. CNN's Josie Burke looks at what's being done to change that.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOSIE BURKE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Ted Cottrell did not want to be here again this season. The New York Jets defensive coordinator had hoped to be a head coach by now. In the off season, he interviewed for the top job with the San Francisco 49ers.
TED COTTRELL, NFL COACH: No, I didn't get the job, but I always look at the positive part of this thing, too. I've got a lot of positive publicity. I keep saying positive, and that's the thing that you -- you want to stay that way.
BURKE: After more than 20 years as an NFL assistant, Cottrell has left to try his luck next time because the 49ers gave the job to Dennis Erickson. Erickson is one of five head coaches hired since last season. Only one of those men, Cincinnati's Marvin Lewis, is black. Lewis joins the Colts Tony Dungy and the Jets Herman Edwards as the only black coaches in a league where nearly 70 percent of the players are African-Americans.
COTTRELL: America has a problem, not the National Football League. America has a problem as far as I'm concerned. When you look at all of corporate America, how many minorities, whether it be men or women, are in key positions? And I think we're just a part of America. And obviously our league is trying to do something about it.
BURKE: Late last year, the NFL began requiring all teams with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one minority candidate. When the Detroit Lions failed to follow that edict, team president, Matt Millan, was slapped with a $200,000 fine. The Lions claimed they wanted to interview five minority candidates, but every one turned them down because each assumed the Lions intended to hire Mariucci all along.
COTTRELL: They figured that Steve had the job. You know, so it was just -- it was just a formality to try to adhere to the policy. I've done a few of those. And I'm tired of just going through the practicing, because I know what's involved. I know the procedure, and I know quite a few questions that will be asked of me. So I don't need to do that practice. I need the real thing. BURKE: The NFL enacted its new policy just months after a group led by attorneys Johnnie Cochran and Cyrus Mehri threatened to sue the league for discrimination.
CYRUS MEHRI, CIVIL RIGHTS ATTORNEY: We've talked to so many minority coaches that are ready, willing and able to compete for these jobs. All they want is that door to be open just a little bit so they can get in the door in a face-to-face interview and show their wears.
GENE UPSHAW, NFLPA EXECUTIVE DIR: Owners have recognized that there is a vast amount of talent in the assistant coaches rank. We have to now elevate and move that group up to coordinators and then up to head coaches. Once that happens, we will then be where we need to be.
BURKE: For Ted Cotrell, that moment can't come soon enough. Josie Burke, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
