Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship

The Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship, created by the NFL in January 2015, exposes interested and qualified candidates to a career in professional scouting.

Bill Nunn

Bill Nunn helped evaluate college talent for 46 seasons in the Pittsburgh Steelers’ player personnel department. Nunn joined the Steelers as a scout in 1968 and was promoted to assistant director of player personnel in 1970. He was one of the few team employees who earned a ring from each of the Steelers’ six Super Bowl championships.

Prior to joining the Steelers, Nunn was the sports editor and, later, the managing editor for the Pittsburgh Courier, one of the nation’s most prominent black newspapers. While covering sports with the Courier, Nunn covered football games between historically black colleges and saw first-hand the talented players at these schools, many of whom were overlooked by other clubs. As a member of the Steelers’ scouting department, he discovered several players from black colleges who went on to star on Pittsburgh’s championship teams. Nunn’s scouting led to the Steelers drafting future Pro Football Hall of Famers L.C. Greenwood, (Arkansas A&M University, Hall of Fame class of 2013), Mel Blount, (Southern University, Hall of Fame class of 1989), and John Stallworth, (Alabama A&M University, Hall of Fame class of 2002).

Nunn was an inaugural member of both the Black College Football Hall of Fame (2010) and the Pittsburgh Pro Football Hall of Fame (2011).

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The program will give participants a unique glimpse into Player Personnel by introducing them to various areas related to college and pro scouting within a club.

Apply to the 2024 Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship

*The Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship is specifically for those interested in an opportunity in scouting. If you are interested in coaching, please instead apply for the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.

Former collegiate and professional football players have a unique understanding of the characteristics shared by athletes who succeed in the sport. They often have an ideal skill set for evaluating future NFL players.

The fellowship, named in honor of Bill Nunn, longtime personnel director for the Pittsburgh Steelers, and John Wooten, a former NFL player and front-office executive, is part of the NFL’s Football Development program under NFL Football Operations.

“The Nunn-Wooten Scouting Program offers a unique opportunity for former players to learn more about this important profession,” said Troy Vincent, the NFL’s Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “Scouting is a critical function for all NFL teams. Identifying talent and building rosters strategically are keys to every team’s success.”

John Wooten

John Wooten has dedicated more than 40 years to the NFL as a player and a personnel executive.

Wooten is the chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation, which works with the NFL to promote minority hiring in coaching, scouting and front office positions. He was selected by Cleveland in the fifth round of the 1959 NFL draft and played guard for the Browns from 1959 to 1967 before moving to Washington for the 1968 season.

He began working in the Dallas Cowboys’ player personnel department in 1975 and was promoted to director of pro scouting in 1980. In 1991 he joined the NFL’s staff to create player development programs; a year later he moved to the Philadelphia Eagles’ front office, where from 1994 to 1997 he was vice president of player personnel. He then spent three years as assistant director of pro and college scouting for the Baltimore Ravens. Wooten retired in 2002.

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The NFL recognizes that both former college and professional players bring a unique drive and passion to the game. Helping former players succeed after their playing careers end — whether they stay in football or follow another path — gives back to those who make the sport great and strengthens the game for future generations, ensuring that football remains a vibrant aspect of American culture. Additionally, those who have exposure evaluating and recruiting players at the college level possess key transferable knowledge that will help them transition to an NFL personnel office.

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

Former NFL player
Former college football player
Current college football employee working in recruiting/personnel

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: Most fellowships take place during Training Camp (July-August) 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 year.

What You Learn: Exposure may include but is not limited to assisting scouts in the day-to-day of Training Camp from a personnel perspective, scheduling fall school visits, learning how to watch film, learning how to write evaluations, presenting a final project of your learnings to the personnel staff. Please keep in mind each club experience is unique and not necessarily the same.

Please direct any questions to NunnWootenScouting@NFL.com.

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The Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship, created by the NFL in January 2015, exposes interested and qualified candidates to a career in professional scouting.

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