January 15, 1999
By James A. Jackson,III
As a San Diego Chargers season ticket holder for more than twenty-five years, the recent hiring of Mike Riley has caused this season ticket holder to question the Chargers organizational hiring practices.
In no way am I questioning the qualifications of Coach Riley. However, I'm questioning the process in which he was hired over several very qualified African American coaches and other proven candidates.
In a city that prides itself on its culture diversity not a single minority has interviewed for the Chargers' head coaching job. It's alarming that within the last three years the Chargers have had four coaching changes and at know time did the organization bring in a "qualified African American" candidate for an interview.
It's the Chargers prerogative as an organization to hire whom they wish. However, when the issue of best qualified surfaces, which is what they try to sell the paying customers on, so does the issue of fair hiring practices, which applies to every organization in San Diego county and in this country. Especially when your organization promotes itself as an equal employment opportunity company. The promise of hiring the best-qualified coach to lead this football team is easily questioned based on their recent track record of hiring coaches.
At one time the issue was minorities didn't have what it takes to be a head coach in the National Football League, but the results disputes that. Every African American that has been given an opportunity has garnered a large amount of success. And in all cases they started at the ground level and worked their way through the system before being offered an opportunity in the NFL. Usually starting as position coaches, offensive and defensive coordinator before reaching the head-coaching job. Unlike their counterparts who take the fast track and bypass some of the same basic steps required for minority coaching candidates.
The first African American to be a head coach in the modern area guided his team to the playoffs three of the four years he coached them. But, despite his winning record he was fired and has been unable to get another opportunity as a head coach. He continues to have success with his current team as they prepare for the NFC championship game. However, white coaches with losing records are hired over and over again.
During the last four coaching changes with the Chargers there have been several highly respected minority coaches available, and considered by other NFL executives to be extremely qualified and worthy of an opportunity, and have been given interviews by other teams. However, the Chargers' organization has not deemed it fit to bring them in for a simple first step interview.
All three of the minority candidates that were available and hired by other organizations have been extremely successful. One of the coaches led his team to an 11-5 record last year and to the playoffs for the first time in fourteen years. And the coach with the best record in the NFL this year, also African American, his team will be playing for a trip to the super bowl this Sunday.
As a matter of fact the Chargers have two minority coaches on the current staff with the potential and credentials to be head coaches. One has been in the NFL for four years, two years with the Chargers and two years with the New Orleans Saints where their defense was ranked in the top five in the NFL. He also spent time as a high school coach and a head coach with success at the college Division 1A level, yet he was not given an interview as possible head coach. It would be reasonable to assume that in most cases position coaches on a NFL staff are dedicated to their jobs, and some day hope to get an opportunity to be a head coach. However, what chance do they have if they are not included in the initial process?
I'm not suggesting that an African American should have been hired as the new Chargers coach. I'm a Charger fan first and foremost but, I'm concerned about what appears to be a very bais and unfair hiring practice by the Chargers' organization. There has always been minorities on the Chargers coaching staff throughout the many years I've followed the team, and yet the system has not produced one candidate worthy of an interview by the front office to be the head coach.
I'm not an advocate for hiring someone based on skin color however, I'm an advocate for insuring all qualified candidates are given an opportunity to interview for any job he or she is qualified for.
We are lead to believe that race does not play a factor in who gets hired in today's society, especially in a multi-cultured city like San Diego. However, you see an organization like the Chargers who won't even consider qualified individuals on the current staff nor former employers for promotion. One must ask; does Sports Transcend Racism?
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