Once upon a time, the Cincinnati Bengals had a black head coach in Marvis Lewis for 16 years, but following a third straight losing season, the Bengals fired him in 2018.
He left Cincinnati having compiled a 131-122-3 record over 16 seasons.
USA Today columnist Nancy Armour is spotting the spotlight on the Bengals this week with a piece that detailed how the Bengals went from having a Black head coach in Marvin Lewis to having the “least-diverse staff” in the NFL.
According to the report, non-white coaches make up just 24 percent of the Bengals’ staff under Zac Taylor. No other team has less than 30 percent. That is a problem. The report added that the Bengals have more than three times as many white coaches as non-white coaches.
Despite the report, the franchise does not think the analysis paints a clear picture.
“This organization and its founders have a long-standing history of supporting diversity in the NFL dating back to 1946 when (team founder) Paul Brown signed Marion Motley and Bill Willis, breaking pro football’s color barrier,” the team said.
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Via USA Today:
“The Bengals were so intentional about breaking down barriers for coaches of color that the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a non-profit organization that champions diversity in the NFL, even gave Blackburn an award for the family’s efforts.
Now, the Bengals are the worst in the NFL, their staff a reflection of why the league is still struggling with systemic racism in hiring almost two decades after the adoption of the Rooney Rul.”
The Bengals will be in action this Thursday evening against the undefeated Miami Dolphins.
