FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, February 4th, 2021

TONY DUNGY PENS OPEN LETTER TO NFL OWNERS ON STATE OF MINORITY COACHING HIRES, AVAILABLE NOW ON NBCSPORTS.COM

Open Letter Outlines Issues in Hiring Cycle & Advocates Embracing Minority Hiring in Every Aspect of the Game

Dungy Hosts Roundtable on State of Minority Coaching Hires with Jim Caldwell, Rich McKay & Michael Smith; Available Now Across NBC Sports Digital Channels

“Progress to me is if we can get people to the table, if we can get people being viewed and have an opportunity.” – Dungy

NBC Sports Continues to Surround Super Bowl LV with Comprehensive Coverage; 30+ Player and Coach Interviews Across NBC Sports Platforms & Programming This Week, Including Derrick Henry, Christian McCaffrey, DK Metcalf, Sean Payton, and More

New Episode of “Sports Uncovered” Podcast Series Hosted by Michele Tafoya Debuts Tomorrow, Feb. 5, Featuring Pro Football Hall of Fame Head Coach Bud Grant

STAMFORD, Conn. – Feb. 4, 2021 – Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach and NBC Sports analyst Tony Dungy penned an open letter to NFL owners today on the state of minority coaching hires, available now on NBCSports.com.

In the letter, Dungy, who was the first African-American head coach to win a Super Bowl, advocates that embracing minority hiring in every aspect of the game will “keep the legacy moving forward and make the NFL the best league we can be.”

Dungy also hosted a roundtable on the state of minority coaching hires in the NFL, featuring former Colts and Lions head coach Jim Caldwell, Atlanta Falcons President & CEO and member of the NFL’s Competition Committee Rick McKay, and co-host of Peacock’s Brother From Another Michael Smith. The roundtable is available now on NBCSports.com and NBC Sports’ YouTube channel.

Following are highlights from the roundtable with Dungy, Caldwell, McKay and Smith:

Dungy: “Progress to me is if we can get people to the table, if we can get people being viewed and have an opportunity…Bring everybody to the table and let’s talk about who fits our needs and what we’re looking for. If we get that, we’re going to see the progress that we’re looking for.”

Caldwell on issues within the hiring process: “Ownership still is not that familiar with folks that aren’t right within their circle…I still think you’re finding situations, even this year, where some owners called people in the media and asked them, ‘Hey, who should I be talking to or who should we interview?’”

McKay on the Rooney Rule: “The way we’ve done the rules, we have not been intentional enough to make sure that the process is completely open, and now we’re starting to get more intentional and I think that will help us…I believe that you’re going to be surprised, I hope, pleasantly surprised over the next four years in that I think the coordinator issue is going to look different and I think therefore our head coach issue is going to look different from a minority hiring standpoint. I’m convinced of that, but the proof will be in the pudding.”

Smith on the conversation surrounding minority hiring: “This should be an ongoing conversation and a process that’s not just reserved for December and January. We need to be talking about minority coaches and the team scouting process when it comes to coaches and general managers year-round so that owners can have these names on their mind when it comes time to make these decisions.”

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Leading up to this Sunday’s game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Tampa Bay Buccaneers, NBC Sports continues to surround Super Bowl LV with comprehensive coverage across all platforms. NBC Sports’ coverage includes interviews with more than 30 current and former players and coaches throughout the week across television, radio, streaming and podcast episodes.

Across NBC Sports, Peacock daily sports programming has included an emphasis on Super Bowl week, including PFT Live featuring Mike Florio and Chris Simms live at 7 a.m. ET, followed by The Dan Patrick Show at 9 a.m. ET, The Rich Eisen Show at Noon ET, Brother From Another, with Michael Holley and Michael Smith, at 3 p.m. ET, and PFT PM at 5 p.m. ET. On Monday, Safety Blitz, featuring Rodney Harrison and Jac Collinsworth, streams at 6 p.m. ET, and Chris Simms Unbuttoned streams at 6 p.m. ET Tuesday-Friday.

Peter King will join PFT Live tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 5, and continues to provide exclusive digital content and interviews throughout the week for his Football Morning in America column and “The Peter King Podcast.”

Additional PFT Live and NFL content posts on ProFootballTalk.com – which continues to provide the latest news and updates – NBCSports.com, and NBC Sports’ YouTube channel.

Guests throughout NBC Sports’ coverage of Super Bowl LV this week include:

    • New Orleans Saints HC Sean Payton
    • Arizona Cardinals QB Kyler Murray
    • Minnesota Vikings QB Kirk Cousins
    • Miami Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa
    • New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley
    • Tennessee Titans RB Derrick Henry
    • Carolina Panthers RB Christian McCaffrey
    • Buffalo Bills WR Stefon Diggs
    • Minnesota Vikings WR Justin Jefferson
    • Dallas Cowboys WR CeeDee Lamb
    • San Francisco 4934s TE George Kittle
    • Washington Football Team DE Chase Young
    • Seattle Seahawks S Jamal Adams
    • Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Tampa Bay Buccaneers LB Derrick Brooks
    • Pro Football Hall of Fame RB Emmitt Smith
    • Former Alabama WRs DeVonta Smith, the 2021 Heisman Trophy Award winner, and Jaylen Waddle

 

A new episode of NBC Sports’ “Sports Uncovered” podcast series, “The Legend of Bud Grant,”  hosted by Michele Tafoya, debuts tomorrow, Friday, Feb. 5 highlighting the Pro Football Hall of Famer and former Minnesota Vikings head coach, who led the Vikings to four Super Bowls. The episode features interviews with Grant, Dungy, Pro Football Hall of Fame QB Fran Tarkenton, and more. Previous episodes of Sports Uncovered, including season two episodes featuring Jon Gruden and Gayle Sierens, can be found here. Podcast episodes are available for download now on all major podcast platforms, including: NBCSports.com/podcasts, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Podcasts, TuneIn and iHeart.

NBC Sports Regional Networks continue to provide extensive Super Bowl coverage, including interviews with current and former players, coaches, and analysts, and podcast episodes from Bay Area, Boston, Chicago, Northwest, Philadelphia, and Washington. Six football-focused RSN podcasts this week include:

    • 49ers Talk
    • Eagle Eye
    • Patriots Talk
    • Talkin’ Seahawks
    • Under Center
    • Washington Football Talk

 

–NBC SPORTS–