The NFL has been criticized over the years for a lack of diversity among its head coaches. The Rooney Rule was created to combat this, but it has often resulted in sham interviews for candidates of color to satisfy requirements before hiring the person the organization is truly after.
In a nice breath of fresh air for the league, according to a report from Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, the Jacksonville Jaguars are moving forward with the interview process for former New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh.
“Former (Jets) head coach Robert Saleh has a second interview with the (Jaguars) scheduled for Friday, per sources. Saleh acquitted himself well in first interview and gets a longer look,” Fowler detailed in a post on Twitter.
While the NFL has a ways to go in creating a more diverse league, and things with Saleh have not been finalized, this would be a step in the right direction and a great look for the Jags.
The Jaguars have yet to hire a minority head coach since their inception in 1995. The franchise has hired seven head coaches in its history, all of whom have been white.
Saleh, of Lebanese descent, would break new ground as the first minority head coach in the team’s history.
Additionally, Saleh would make history as the first Muslim head coach for the Jaguars. When the New York Jets hired Saleh in 2021, he became the first Muslim head coach in the history of the NFL.
Saleh has been open and proud of his heritage. For one of last season’s games, he wore a small Lebanese flag patch on his Jets sweatshirt.
If the Jags hire Saleh it would be a great moment for the Saleh, the Jaguars, and the NFL as a whole.
About Qwame Skinner
Qwame Skinner has loved both writing and sports his entire life. In addition to his sports coverage at Comeback Media, Qwame writes novels, and his debut; The First Casualty, an adult fantasy, is out now.