Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship

The program's objective is to use NFL clubs’ training camps, offseason workout programs and minicamps to give talented coaches opportunities to:

• Observe
• Participate
• Gain experience
• Ultimately gain a full-time NFL coaching position

Designed as a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches, all 32 NFL clubs participate each year. Specific aspects of the program — including hiring, compensation and coaching duties — are administered on a club-by-club basis. The NFL does not mandate any elements of the fellowship to the clubs, but it recommends several best practices, including:

• Hiring participants for the duration of training camp, including all pre-season games.
• Encouraging clubs to hire at least two fellows with an offensive coaching background.
• Mentoring participants in the form of continuing and constructive feedback regarding their work while with the club.

As part of the programs’ evolution, in 2012 the NFL announced the formation of the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship Advisory Council, comprised of a distinguished group of NFL coaches and general managers.

Applicants must meet one of the following prerequisites to be considered for the fellowship:

• Former NFL player
• Coaching experience at either the high school, college, and/or other football leagues level (CFL, UFL, etc.)

The Process: Applicants will fill out the online application and select the top 5 NFL clubs they have an interest in completing a fellowship with. Clubs will be alerted of the application submission and will reach out to the applicant individually for further steps if they so choose.

Timing: Fellowships can take place during OTAs, minicamps, or Training Camp and the length of the fellowship ranges from a few days to a few weeks. In select cases, clubs have extended a fellow to work on staff with them for a season or year.

Please direct any questions to nflbillwalshdiversity@nfl.com.