Sixty-three African-American coaches took part in this summer’s NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Program, hoping to eventually join the many past participants who are now full-time NFL coaches.
More than 500 minority coaches have participated in the training camps of NFL teams since the program was introduced in 1987. Former fellowship coaches on 1999 NFL staffs include HERMAN EDWARDS (Tampa Bay), CARY GODETTE (Miami), JOHNNIE LYNN (New York Giants), LE CHARLS MC DANIEL (Washington) and SHERMAN SMITH (Tennessee).
As part of training camp coaching staffs, the fellowship coaches perform duties that mirror those of full-time NFL assistant coaches. They become working members of NFL coaching staffs for the summer and are responsible for numerous assignments, including directing and planning workouts, formulating scrimmage and preseason game strategies, breaking down videotape, and evaluating players.
"This program has been in existence since 1987 and has served its purpose well," says Buffalo Bills head coach WADE PHILLIPS. "We were pleased to have JAMES SAXON and DENNIS SIMMONS working with us this summer. We feel both men are deserving coaches who will benefit from their NFL experience."
Fellowship participants felt they gained invaluable experience.
Former Denver Broncos cornerback STEVE WILSON, now the head football coach at Howard University, worked with Baltimore Ravens wide receivers and defensive backs this summer. He says that since Howard and the Ravens have similar offenses, he learned strategy that can help his college team.
"It’s mostly the West Coast offense that the Ravens run, and that’s Howard’s offense," says Wilson. "It was great, no doubt about it. It was like Christmas come early."
Tennessee Titans linebackers coach O’NEILL GILBERT, a fellowship participant in 1996, sees the program as a unique opportunity for young coaches.
"This is an excellent step for a young coach to take," says Gilbert. "It teaches you what the NFL is all about. It gives the overall picture about what coaching is about at the highest level in which you can participate."
1999 NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM
| Arizona | Clarence James (Oklahoma), Davis Riley (Willingboro Public Schools, NJ) |
| Atlanta | Ron Gould (California), Thom Kaumeyer (Palomar Community College) |
| Baltimore | James Garland (Hampton), Steve Wilson (Howard) |
| Buffalo | James Saxon (Menlo College), Dennis Simmons (Cornell) |
| Carolina | Mike Gunthrop (West Carolina), Don Johnson (Nevada) |
| Chicago | Kevin Moore (Belhaven College), Terry Price (Auburn), Mose Rison (Stanford), Robert Talley (Dartmouth) |
| Cleveland | Gary Emanuel (Purdue), Herb Williams (Youngstown State) |
| Dallas | Richard Glover (New Mexico State), Fitzgerald Hill (Arkansas), Travis Jones (Appalachian State), Curtis Modkins (New Mexico) |
| Denver | Karl James Dorrell (Washington), Wayne Moses (Washington) |
| Detroit | Bruce Tall (Harvard) |
| Green Bay | Tony Oden (USMA), Irv Eatman (former NFL player) |
| Indianapolis | Derrick Burroughs (Barcelona-NFL Europe), Larry Little (North Carolina Central) |
| Jacksonville | Terrell Williams (North Carolina A&T) |
| Miami | David Blanchard (South Carolina State), Tyrone Dixon (Houston), Joe Jefferson (Langston), Curtis Johnson (Miami), Robert Kennedy (Wake Forest), David Moody (Texas Tech), James Salgado (Millersville) |
| Minnesota | George Booker (Montana State) |
| New England | Kenneth Clarke (Syracuse), Rance Olison (Texas Christian H.S.), Willie Scott (former NFL player) |
| New Orleans | Joe Carter (Alcorn State), Sean Dykes (former NFL player) |
| New York Giants | Isaac Collins (Columbia), Raymond Ogas (Southwest) |
| New York Jets | Mike London (Boston College) |
| Oakland | Ben Albert (Richmond), Carl Roberts (Jackson State) |
| Philadelphia | Darryl Jackson (Boise State), James Spady (Texas-El Paso) |
| Pittsburgh | Sam Clancy (Pittsburgh) |
| St. Louis | Kerry Locklin (Eastern Michigan), Orlando Mitjans (Morgan State), James Webster (East Carolina) |
| San Diego | Mike Johnson (Oregon State), Al Simmons (California), Jason Swepson (Boston College) |
| San Francisco | Thomas Coleman (Scotland-NFL Europe/Contra Costa College), Donald Johnson (Nevada-Reno), Guy McIntyre (former NFL player) |
| Seattle | Trent Miles (Fresno State) |
| Tampa Bay | Ron Holder (Northeastern) |
| Tennessee | Jason Metlock (Texas Christian) |
| Washington | Charlie Brown (Mississippi Valley State), Rubin Stevinson (Frostburg State) |