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How many black coaches has the NFL had?

Author

Sarah Smith

Published Jan 23, 2026

There have been 500 head coaches in the NFL's history — 24 of them have been Black. That's 4.8%. In 2022, with the Steelers' Mike Tomlin and recently-named Texans head coach Lovie Smith, that percentage is 6.3%. Thirty percent of assistant NFL coaches are Black.

What NFL team has had the most black head coaches?

Four out of 12 Buccaneers head coaches have been Black throughout its history, the most of any NFL team. TAMPA, Fla.

How many African American coaches have won the Super Bowl?

And now – just in time to ensure that Black History Month got off to an amazing start – the Pittsburgh Steelers' Mike Tomlin, became only the second Black head coach in U.S. history to win the Super Bowl, leading his team to an exciting, come-from-behind 27-23 win over the high-octane Arizona Cardinals.

How many NFL teams never had a black head coach?

Conversation. Incredibly, or perhaps not so incredibly, nearly half of the NFL teams have never had a black non-interim head coach: Bills, Patriots, Ravens, Titans, Jaguars, Cowboys, Commanders, Giants, Saints, Falcons, Panthers, Rams, Seahawks. There have been 20 non-interim black head coaches in the NFL.

What percentage of the NFL is black?

But wow—about 70% of NFL players are black.

17 related questions found

How many NFL owners are black?

Just three of 32 coaches are Black or bi-racial. There has never been a Black owner in the NFL. With the Denver Broncos up for sale, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said during the Super Bowl last week that the league would ”love to see a diverse owner'' to buy that franchise.

Who is the best Black QB of all time?

The Six Greatest Black Quarterbacks of All Time

  1. Warren Moon.
  2. Randall Cunningham. ...
  3. Steve McNair. ...
  4. Michael Vick. ...
  5. Marlin Briscoe. ...
  6. Doug Williams. The only black QB to win a Super Bowl and a Super Bowl MVP had a less than spectacular career before it. ...

Has a Black QB ever won a Super Bowl?

Black History Month: A look back at Doug Williams becoming the first Super Bowl-winning Black quarterback.

Has any Black coach won a Super Bowl?

Tony Dungy made Black history by becoming the first African American NFL head coach to win the Super Bowl. He blazed a trail for the Black coaches that came after him and was a shining example of the potential for Black leadership in the NFL.

Who is the only black NFL coach?

Mike Tomlin

Tomlin has been the head coach of the Steelers for 15 seasons since 2007. He is the only Black head coach in the NFL at the time this list was published.

Which NFL team has a black coach?

As we approach the Super Bowl, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the only Black head coach in the league. He's won a Super Bowl title and has never had a losing season. That's impressive. Approximately 70% of the players in the NFL are Black, so why is there only one Black head coach?

Why is there only one black coach in the NFL?

After Brian Flores' lawsuit accusing the NFL of racial discrimination, Fox sportscaster Nick Wright said that having only one Black head coach in the league is an intentional move by team owners.

Who was the first Black NFL player?

The winds were changing in 1946. The country was recovering from World War II and sports were rapidly growing. Out in Los Angeles, California, running back Kenny Washington was making a name for himself at UCLA. Then, he became the first black player in the NFL.

Has a Black head coach ever won a football national championship?

Including David Shaw at Stanford and Kevin Sumlin at Texas A&M, there are four African-Americans leading programs with the resources, talent pool and tradition to compete for a national championship – something no black head football coach has ever won.

When was the last time a Black coach won the Super Bowl?

It took all the way until 2007 for a black head coach to win a Super Bowl. Tony Dungy holds that honor after his Indianapolis Colts took down the Chicago Bears in Super Bowl XLI. The Bears were coached by Lovie Smith, meaning whoever won the game was going to be the first black head coach to win a Super Bowl.

Who was the 1st Black NFL quarterback?

In 1968, Marlin Briscoe became the first Black starting quarterback in modern pro football in America. This is the story of how he came to achieve that, and the legacy he left.

Has a black QB won MVP?

Most experts predict that the style and flair with which they play will become a staple in the NFL over the next 10 years. Mahomes, 23, became the second African-American quarterback to win the NFL's MVP award outright. Steve McNair shared the award with Peyton Manning in 2003.

What nationality was Jim Plunkett?

Born in San Jose, CA to parents of Native American and Hispanic origin, Plunkett first showed athletic promise at age 14, when he won a throwing contest with a toss of over 60 yards.

Is Mahomes white?

Patrick Mahomes' parents' are Americans. His father is of African descent and his mother is Caucasian. In an interview, Mahomes mentioned what it is like to be a minority quarterback. He said being a black quarterback shows that it doesn't matter where one comes from.

What is the blackest city in the United States?

New York city had the largest number of people reporting as Black with about 2.3 million, followed by Chicago, 1.1 million, and Detroit, Philadelphia and Houston, which had between 500,000 and 1 million each.

What is the whitest NFL team?

The Whitest Team in the NFL Isn't What You Would Expect (Or Maybe It Is) The Philadelphia Eagles — and by a huge margin. The team's roster consists of 25 white dudes. According to "Unofficial 2014 Player Census" compiled by the Best Tickets blog, the Texans are the only other team that has even 20.

What NFL team is owned by a Black man?

The NFL's only minority owners are Shahid Khan of the Jacksonville Jaguars and Kim Pegula of the Buffalo Bills.

What races make up African American?

On average, African Americans are of West/Central African with some European descent; some also have Native American and other ancestry. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, African immigrants generally do not self-identify as African American.

What percentage of the NFL is Black 2020?

In 2020, Black of African American players made up approximately 57.5 percent of NFL teams.

When did the NFL allow Black players?

In 1920, Fritz Pollard became the first African-American to play in the NFL during its formative years. However, in the years after Fritz's departure, the NFL owners imposed a “gentleman's agreement” preventing the signing of more black players. The four men below are credited with re-integrating the NFL in 1946.