Coaching Derrick Henry almost seems too easy, so Tennessee Titans coach Mike Vrabel switched Tony Dews to overseeing tight ends this season.
Call it a résumé booster for Dews, involving him more in the passing game to help someone the Titans believe in so much they sent him to a second coaching accelerator program at the NFL’s spring owners meetings in May.
The program is designed to connect minorities with owners and presidents who make hiring decisions. Anyone in the NFL has seen owners like Jerry Jones, David Tepper, Mark Davis or Amy Adams Strunk on TV. Getting in the same room with those owners who make the hiring decisions is the key.
Even if the actual sessions are the league’s version of speed-dating.
The NFL’s fourth accelerator program for front office staff and general manager candidates starts Monday in Dallas as part of the league’s winter meetings, which end Wednesday. Dews believes it works because the Titans hired Ran Carthon as the franchise’s first Black general manager in January after Carthon attended this session a year ago.
Dews said it’s great for everyone to see people working to promote change and improve diversity.
“I’m thankful for the NFL that they’re putting programs and doing things, putting things in place to continue to help with the diversity of the league, be it people of color as well as women,” Dews said.
A year ago, the Titans were the only NFL team with a GM opening because Strunk had just fired Jon Robinson. That meant everyone wanted an opportunity to get at least five minutes with the woman needing a new GM.
The actual program involves breakfast and lunch with specific tables and groups. A mixer allowing candidates to meet different owners, more meet and greet than chance to build a relationship. But the opportunity for face-to-face contact didn’t exist before for the people attending.
Carthon attended as San Francisco’s director of player personnel. Becoming an NFL general manager had been his goal since he came into the…
Source link : https://www.foxsports.com/stories/nfl/the-titans-show-the-nfls-program-promoting-diversity-results-in-gm-and-coaching-jobs
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Publish date : 2023-12-11 16:11:07
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