NEW YORK (AP) — The NFL and the Black College Football Hall of Fame will hold a virtual version of their quarterback coaching summit, a third-year project aimed at improving the league’s diversity.
Los Angeles Chargers coach Anthony Lynn is among the pro and college coaches planning to participate in the June 22-23 event. Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II, chairman of the NFL’s workplace diversity committee, is among the panelists.
Topics will include building a coaching staff, the fundamentals of playing quarterback and best practices for career advancement. Past participants of the league’s diversity coaching fellowship program have been invited.
“From professional development to networking to coaching best practices, this summit should leave no doubt about the promising pipeline of championship play-callers within the sport of football,” said Troy Vincent, the NFL’s executive vice president of football operations.
The summit is one of several NFL programs intended to build the coaching and personnel development pipelines and strengthen diversity across the league.
“We are excited to continue this partnership with the National Football League as qualified coaches and executives come together to advance their careers,” said Doug Williams, a Super Bowl-winning quarterback with Washington and co-founder of the Canton, Ohio-based Black College Football Hall of Fame.
Others expected to participate are offensive coordinators Eric Bieniemy (Kansas City) and Byron Leftwich (Tampa Bay) and San Francisco defensive coordinator Robert Saleh. Former Minnesota coach Leslie Frazier, now the assistant head coach and defensive coordinator in Buffalo, also is on the list.
Last year’s event was held at historically black Morehouse College in Atlanta. It connected about three dozen participants with NFL club coaches and executives to help identify and develop diverse candidates for offensive coaching positions.