Patriots inside linebackers coach Jerod Mayo, whose fairly short time as an NFL assistant coach has resulted in three interviews for head-coaching jobs, could eventually get one. In a Wednesday appearance on PFT Live, Mayo addressed the lawsuit brought by former Dolphins coach Brian Flores regarding racial biases in hiring practices.
“Honestly, I’m still gathering the facts on that whole story,” said Jerod Mayo, who, like Flores, is Black.
“What I will say is I definitely see the frustration as far as a lack of minority head coaches in the NFL. When you look at a league where over 70 percent of the players are Black and you only have really at the time one Black head coach, I mean there’s something to be said about that. It’s not about, ‘Do you have people who are qualified to really lead a team?’ When I really look at the funnel, I look at the top of the funnel and the bottom of the funnel. At the bottom of the funnel, I think they’ve done a great job as far as the minority hiring, having these guys come in.”
The problem, as many believe it to be, originates with the folks who run the show.
Jerod Mayo Talks About The People Who Run The Show
“When you go to the top of the funnel as far as ownership is concerned, there are no Black owners,” Jerod Mayo said. “There are no Black owners in the league. It is what it is. Hopefully one day we won’t have to say this, but that’s what it is.
What I will say the progress has been made is, especially this year, was just in the G.M. cycle. When you look at [Vikings G.M.] Kwesi [Adofo-Mensah], you look at [bears G.M. Ryan Poles], you look at all these guys — especially the pipeline, the minority or the Black G.M. pipeline or up and coming pipeline, and the next cycle. To me, that will start to trickle down into the head coaching and coordinator cycle as well.”
