FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
9/16/13
http://twitter.com/NFL345
BILL WALSH NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP ATTRACTS RECORD 126 PARTICIPANTS
- PROGRAM INCLUDES 40 FORMER NFL PLAYERS -
A record 126 minority coaches took part in this summer’s BILL WALSH NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP, the most ever.
The program, which was named after the man who conceived the idea – late Pro Football Hall of Fame head coach Bill Walsh – exposes talented minority college coaches to the methods and philosophies of NFL offseason workout programs, minicamps, and preseason training camps. Walsh introduced the concept in 1987 when he brought a group of minority coaches into his San Francisco 49ers’ training camp. The program has mentored more than 1,600 minority coaches through the years.
Carolina Panthers head coach RON RIVERA certainly knows the value of the program. Rivera serves on the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship Advisory Council. The council is comprised of club presidents, general managers, head coaches and assistant coaches, who focus on developing a pipeline of minority coaches, including former NFL players pursuing opportunities in the coaching profession. The council meets regularly to recommend league-wide best practices in selection criteria for fellowship candidates, standardization of program elements and tracking results for future improvements.
“The Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship is essential in creating opportunities,” says Rivera. “You can see the benefits of the fellowship program on virtually every coaching staff in the league and the education provided through the program has been invaluable in the development of many young coaches who may not have received exposure to the National Football League without it.”
Former NFL cornerback SAMARI ROLLE (1998-2008) was among the participants. Rolle spent the summer with the St. Louis Rams as he pursues a career in coaching. Rolle says his stint with the Rams this summer included more listening than talking.
“I’m asking questions and taking lots of notes,’’ says Rolle. “You want to be helpful, but you also need to be careful not to over-step the guys on the staff. This staff works hard, but these guys also have a lot of fun together.”
Minnesota Vikings head coach LESLIE FRAZIER, who interned with the Arizona Cardinals (1995) and the Indianapolis Colts (1996), endorses the program.
“The program is very important to me,” says Frazier. “The opportunities helped me to develop as a coach. In Minnesota, the participants in the minority fellowship program have helped us to teach and train our players during our offseason training activities and training camp. We also have been able to develop a database that can be used to hire coaches who have interned with us.”
Frazier is one of three current NFL head coaches – MARVIN LEWIS (Cincinnati) and MIKE TOMLIN (Pittsburgh) are the others – who are graduates of the program.
“I learned so much from being able to participate in the Bill Walsh NFL Minority Coaching Fellowship,” says Tomlin. “At the time, I was a young college coach, and I was given the opportunity to attend training camp and learn from NFL coaches. It was special. The fellowship gave me my first exposure to coaching in the NFL, and it solidified my dedication to wanting to become a coach in the National Football League.”
2013 NFL COACHES WHO ARE GRADUATES OF THE
BILL WALSH NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP
|
CLUB
|
COACH
|
POSITION
|
|
Arizona
|
Anthony Blevins
|
Coaching assistant/special teams
|
|
|
Kevin Ross
|
Cornerbacks
|
|
Atlanta
|
Keith Armstrong
|
Special teams coordinator
|
|
Baltimore
|
Clarence Books
|
Defensive line
|
|
|
Chris Hewitt
|
Assistant special teams
|
|
Buffalo
|
Samson Brown
|
Assistant defensive backs
|
|
|
Tyrone Wheatley
|
Running backs
|
|
Chicago
|
Mel Tucker
|
Defensive Coordinator
|
|
Cincinnati
|
Jay Hayes
|
Defensive line
|
|
|
Marvin Lewis
|
Head coach
|
|
Denver
|
Sam Garnes
|
Assistant secondary
|
|
|
Eric Studesville
|
Running backs
|
|
|
Derius Swinton
|
Assistant special teams
|
|
|
Tyke Tolbert
|
Wide receivers
|
|
Detroit
|
Curtis Modkins
|
Running backs
|
|
Houston
|
Karl Dorrell
|
Quarterbacks
|
|
|
Perry Carter
|
Assistant defensive backs
|
|
|
Cedric Smith
|
Strength and conditioning
|
|
Jacksonville
|
Ron Middleton
|
Tight Ends/assistant special teams
|
|
|
DeWayne Walker
|
Defensive backs
|
|
Kansas City
|
Al Harris
|
Defensive assistant/secondary
|
|
Minnesota
|
Leslie Frazier
|
Head Coach
|
|
|
Craig Johnson
|
Quarterbacks
|
|
|
Jimmie Johnson
|
Tight ends
|
|
|
James Saxon
|
Running backs
|
|
New England
|
Pepper Johnson
|
Defensive line
|
|
New York Giants
|
Lunda Wells
|
Assistant offensive line
|
|
New York Jets
|
Dennis Thurman
|
Defensive coordinator
|
|
Oakland
|
Justin Griffith
|
Offensive quality control
|
|
|
Johnnie Lynn
|
Defensive backs
|
|
|
Kelly Skipper
|
Running backs
|
|
|
Terrell Williams
|
Defensive line
|
|
Philadelphia
|
Duce Staley
|
Running Backs
|
|
|
Tra Thomas
|
Coaching assistant
|
|
Pittsburgh
|
James Daniel
|
Tight ends
|
|
|
Mike Tomlin
|
Head coach
|
|
|
Kirby Wilson
|
Running backs
|
|
St. Louis
|
Joe Bowden
|
Assistant linebackers
|
|
|
Clyde Simmons
|
Assistant defensive line
|
|
San Diego
|
Andrew Dees
|
Assistant offensive line
|
|
|
Don Johnson
|
Defensive line
|
|
|
Ollie Wilson
|
Running backs
|
|
Tennessee
|
Tracy Rocker
|
Defensive line
|
|
Washington
|
Raheem Morris
|
Defensive backs
|
2013 BILL WALSH NFL MINORITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP PARTICIPANTS
|
CLUB
|
#
|
PARTICIPANTS (BACKGROUND & PRESENT AFFILIATION)
|
|
Arizona Cardinals
|
5
|
David Diaz-Infante (Former Player), Alvin McKinley (Former Player), Eric Moulds (Former Player), Dennis Northcut (Former Player), Marcel Shipp (Former Player)
|
|
Atlanta Falcons
|
5
|
Marcus Arroyo (Southern Miss.), Louis Ayeni (Toledo), George McDonald (Syracuse), Clarence McKinney (Texas A&M), Paul Spicer (Former Player)
|
|
Buffalo Bills
|
5
|
Antwon Bailey (St. John’s College H.S.), Michael Grant (North Texas), Kevin Mawae (Former Player), Jamar Nesbit (Former Player), Matthew Scott (Albany)
|
|
Carolina Panthers
|
3
|
Vince Bordelon (Diablo Valley College), David Corley (William and Mary), Abu Maafala (Unaffiliated)
|
|
Chicago Bears
|
5
|
Oladmeji Adams (Cortland State), Wendell Avery (Former NFL Coach), Louis Ayeni (Toledo), Erik Burns (Unaffiliated), Marquice Williams (South Dakota)
|
|
Cincinnati Bengals
|
2
|
Brian N. Braswell (Morehouse College), Eric Henderson (Former Player, Oklahoma State)
|
|
Cleveland Browns
|
5
|
Nick Eason (Former Player), Nicholas James (Tuskegee), Andrew King (Unaffiliated), Eric Parker (Unaffiliated), Joel Taylor (South Carolina State)
|
|
Dallas Cowboys
|
4
|
Keynodo S. Hudson (USC), Arlington Nunn (Stephen F. Austin), Carlos Polk (Former Player), Mikal Smith (Former Player)
|
|
Denver Broncos
|
4
|
Cortez Hankton (Former Player, Dartmouth), Johnny Holland (Unaffiliated), Brad Jackson (Unaffiliated), Rashad Jackson (East Central)
|
|
Detroit Lions
|
4
|
Kirk Broussard (Bluefield College), Steve Jackson (Former Player), Kenneth Ray (North Greenvile), Chris Simpson (Grad Valley State)
|
|
Green Bay Packers
|
4
|
Ahman Green (Former Player), Thomas Hammock (Wisconsin), Cesar Rivas-Sandoval (Sioux Falls), Chris Young (Colgate)
|
|
Houston Texans
|
5
|
Earl Cochran (McMurray), Kefense Hynson (Montana), Alex Jackson (Mississippi Valley State), Daronte Jones (Hawaii), Harry J. Williams (Prairie View A&M)
|
|
Indianapolis Colts
|
5
|
Autry Denson (Former Player), Maurice Drayton (Southern Miss.), Quinn Gray (Former Player), Corey Ivy (Former Player), Leroy Thompson (Timber Creek H.S.)
|
|
Jacksonville Jaguars
|
5
|
Charles Boyd (Indiana), Johnny Cox (North Carolina A&T), Keith Henry (Catawba College), R. Todd Littlejohn (New Mexico State), Jimmy Wilkerson (Former Player)
|
|
Kansas City Chiefs
|
7
|
Na Brown (Former Player), David Hanna (Cornell), Andre Reed (Former Player), Michael Rigell (New Mexico Highlands), Reginald Trotter (Missouri Western), Mike Tuiasosopo (Colorado), Paul Williams (Miami)
|
|
Miami Dolphins
|
5
|
David Bowens (Former Player), Jimmy Brumbaugh (Kentucky), Aaron Kelton (Williams College), Kevin Kaesviham (Former Player), Marco Rivera (Former Player)
|
|
Minnesota Vikings
|
6
|
Richard Angulo (Trinity International), Kelvin Bell (Iowa), Peter Davila (Otterbein), Chadwick Germany (Southern), Brandon Lynch (Northern Iowa), Kenechi Udeze (Former Player)
|
|
New England Patriots
|
1
|
Anthony Pleasant (Former Player)
|
|
New Orleans Saints
|
3
|
Jay Boulware (Oklahoma), Deland McCullough (Indiana), Ashley Ambrose (Former Player)
|
|
New York Giants
|
2
|
Justin Hood (Illinois), Sam Madison (Former Player)
|
|
New York Jets
|
4
|
Ernie Gutierrez (La Miranda H.S.), Robert Hunt (Toronto Argonauts – CFL), Daylon McCutcheon (Bishop Amat H.S.), Adrian Mayes (Rice)
|
|
Oakland Raiders
|
2
|
Darrell Fullington (Former Player, St. Thomas Aquinas H.S., FL), David Winbush (San Antonio Reagan H.S., TX)
|
|
Philadelphia Eagles
|
5
|
Richard Glover, Jr. (Iowa Western), Patrick McDowell (Fork Union Military Academy), Koren Robinson (Former Player), Tra Thomas (Former Player), Travares Tillman (Former Player)
|
|
Pittsburgh Steelers
|
4
|
Gabriel Franklin (UTEP), Shaefrey Griffin (Washington and Jefferson), Rod Rutherford (Indiana University of Pennsylvania), Justin Vincent (LSU)
|
|
St. Louis Rams
|
4
|
Milo Austin (Glenville State College), Samari Rolle (Former Player), Lance Schulters (Former Player), Damon Wilson (Bowie State)
|
|
San Diego Chargers
|
3
|
Kerry Locklin (Sacramento – UFL), Jimmy Lindsey (Furman), Christopher Young (Colgate)
|
|
San Francisco 49ers
|
4
|
Charles Clark (Colorado), Anthony Johnson (Sam Houston State), Steve Neal (Wayne State), Troy Walters (Former Player, Colorado)
|
|
Seattle Seahawks
|
4
|
Quinton Ganther (Former Player), Chris Horton (Former Player), Frankie Telford (USC), Chris Cash (Former Player, Florida A&M)
|
|
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
|
2
|
David Rowe (Rutgers), Gunnard Twyner (Dodge City Community College)
|
|
Tennessee Titans
|
4
|
Andrew Hayes-Stokes (FIU), Desmond Lindsey (West Alabama), Brandon North (Montana State), Al Singleton (Morris Knolls H.S., NJ)
|
|
Washington Redskins
|
4
|
John Blake (UNC), David Serna (FAU), Jimmy Snyder (Haskell), Byron Thweatt (Richmond)
|
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