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NFL Continues Efforts to Boost Inclusion Across League with Coach Accelerator During Spring League Meeting in Nashville

The NFL has announced its continued efforts to strengthen the pipeline of diverse coaching candidates through hosting the 2024 Coach Accelerator program on May 20-22 at the Spring League Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

The Spring Accelerator is the league's fifth iteration since the program was launched in 2022. It follows the Front Office Accelerator Program held in Dallas, Texas this past December. For the first time, the program will include coaches who have predominantly worked at the college level.

The accelerator serves as a platform for clubs and owners to engage with qualified coaching candidates from diverse backgrounds. Candidates can build relationships with club owners and executives and further develop and hone their leadership skills. To date, the program has successfully contributed to an increase in diverse candidates being interviewed for open positions, and many past participants have been promoted and hired into more senior coaching positions.

“Developing diverse coaching talent through the accelerator program is a key priority," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “In its fifth iteration, this program continues to be an effective avenue for club owners and executives to be exposed to the skillset and unique backgrounds of highly qualified coaching candidates, and for the program's participants to network with one another and engage in professional development sessions."  

In addition to networking and personal development programming, the league will provide coaches with insight into future initiatives, both on and off the field, to contextualize how the game will continue to develop and where the NFL is evolving.

This year's Coach Accelerator candidates include:

Terry Braden

Kansas City Chiefs

Marcus Brady*

Los Angeles Chargers

Mike Caldwell*

Las Vegas Raiders

Michael Clay

Philadelphia Eagles

Brian Flores

Minnesota Vikings

Pep Hamilton*

                     -

Al Holcomb

Buffalo Bills

Shawn Jefferson

New York Jets

Jerrod Johnson*

Houston Texans

Mike Kafka

New York Giants

Thaddeus Lewis*

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Charles London*

Seattle Seahawks

Brandon Lynch

Cleveland Browns

T.C. McCartney

New England Patriots

Ron Middleton*

New York Jets

Scottie Montgomery*

Detroit Lions

Nate Scheelhaase

Los Angeles Rams

Karl Scott

Seattle Seahawks

David Shaw

                    -

DeAndre Smith

Indianapolis Colts

Eric Washington*

Chicago Bears

Lunda Wells

Dallas Cowboys

Michael Wilhoite

Denver Broncos

Marquice Williams

Atlanta Falcons

Rod Wilson

Kansas City Chiefs

Dennard Wilson

Tennessee Titans

Israel Woolfork

Arizona Cardinals

 

*Participant previously a part of the program

All participants subject to change

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