Hall Of Famer Marshall Faulk Calls Out NFL Hiring Bias Against Black Coaches
Marshall Faulk openly criticised NFL hiring practices after Sherman Lewis’ death sparked debate around minority coaches and leadership opportunities.
- Marshall Faulk criticised NFL hiring practices following Sherman Lewis’ passing.
- Faulk questioned why minority former players face tougher coaching paths.
- Sherman Lewis won four Super Bowls but never became an NFL head coac
Questions around diversity in NFL hiring never stay quiet for long, especially when another respected football mind passes without ever getting the opportunity many believed he earned. The death of longtime assistant coach Sherman Lewis has again forced the league to face uncomfortable conversations about race, coaching pathways and who gets trusted with leadership positions. As tributes poured in for the four-time Super Bowl-winning assistant, former St. Louis Rams star Marshall Faulk openly challenged what he sees as a system that continues to block minority coaches from top NFL jobs despite proven credentials.
Lewis spent decades helping build offences under Bill Walsh, George Seifert and Mike Holmgren, including successful runs with the San Francisco 49ers and Green Bay Packers. Yet while assistants around him climbed into head coaching positions, Lewis never received that same opportunity.
Marshall Faulk questions NFL coaching opportunities after Sherman Lewis' overlooked career
Many of the coaches who worked around Lewis eventually became NFL head coaches despite holding smaller roles or shorter resumes at the time. Andy Reid, Steve Mariucci, Mike Sherman, Jon Gruden and Dick Jauron all moved into bigger jobs after connections to Holmgren's coaching tree helped open doors across the league. Lewis, despite years of success and public backing from Holmgren himself, remained stuck in assistant roles.
Now beginning his own coaching career after working under Deion Sanders at Colorado before taking over at Southern University, Faulk believes the issue still exists today. Speaking to USA TODAY, the Hall of Famer sounded frustrated by how differently former black players are treated once their playing careers end. "Football's the only sport that players struggle to come off the field and become a coach,” Faulk told Brent Schrotenboer. “They look at us like if you're successful at the game playing then you won't be successful at the game in any other capacity.”
Faulk then pointed toward examples around professional sports that continue to fuel criticism over NFL hiring trends. “I'm just gonna say what it is,” Faulk said. “Matt Ryan can be a GM (president of football in Atlanta, where he oversees the general manager). Why do other players kind of go through and jump through the hoops to be a GM? What's the quarterback (coach) that's now in Minnesota?” Faulk said referencing Josh McCown.
“He was in Houston. They were about to give him the (head coaching) job (in Houston)… He barely played. Played a few games in the league. But it happens. You can be JJ Redick and never have coaching experience and get the Lakers job. But can Marshall Faulk get the Rams job? Hell no. It is what it is."