Exactly one year ago, Hall of Fame coach and former player Tony Dungy wrote an open letter beseeching the NFL to improve its so-called diversity program, particularly as it pertains to Black head coaches.
One year later, on the first day of Black History Month, fired head coach Brian Flores filed a class-action lawsuit accusing the NFL of collusion and discrimination in its hiring practices. Despite the fact that Blacks and other minorities make up approximately 73 percent of the talent pool, the league only has one Black head coach as of Saturday, Feb. 5, 2022.
“Dear NFL Owners. I’m writing to you today because I have a great love for the National Football League, just as you do, and want to see it be the best it can be. And I believe our league has a problem that only you can fix. We are not putting the best product possible out on the field,” Dungy said in the February 2021 letter, according to NBC Sports. “We are cheating our fans and we are cheating ourselves. And you are the only people who can change this.”
After the lawsuit was filed by Flores, Dungy didn’t exactly come out and exclaim triumphantly that “I told you so” to the NFL, but he in effect did just that with this latest Twitter post.
One year ago I wrote a letter to NFL owners saying the NFL had a problem only they could solve. Not a lot has changed. Brian Flores’ suit shows the frustration many black coaches have. It could be just the tip of the iceberg. Something has to change! https://t.co/gWnD24XEQO
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) February 2, 2022
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