Bomani Jones Bluntly Explains the NFL’s Absence of Diversity: ‘A Lot of People Just Think Black People Aren’t That Smart’

ESPN’s Bomani Jones joined Stephen A. Smith on First Take Friday morning and offered a blunt explanation for the NFL’s lack of diversity.

Currently, just one Black head coach is employed by the NFL’s 32 teams. A deplorable depiction of diversity, especially when you consider 60 percent of the NFL’s players are Black. This year, the NFL offseason began with nine head coaching vacancies and so far, six of them have been filled with White candidates.

“The teams are the ones that would be helped by doing this,” Jones said of changing the league’s diversity committee and hiring more Black coaches. “Because they are the ones that would be looking at more talent. Giving yourself a better chance at making your team good.

“They would rather be sorry than be right because fundamentally, people just have to come to terms with the fact, a lot of people just think Black people aren’t that smart and don’t think that we’re in a position or capable of leading.”

Jones notes that it’s a common trend for NFL teams to hire the sons of former league coaches, executives and personnel. “What’s wild about it is, if you go look at it, those dudes aren’t even necessarily good at doing the job!”

“They don’t give Black and Brown people even a chance at this because you have to shake against the priors that people have,” Jones added.

Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores hit the NFL with a lawsuit this week, alleging racial discrimination within the hiring process of teams. After he was fired by Miami, it was considered a foregone conclusion that Flores would find another job this offseason, but so far, that opportunity has not presented itself.

Watch above via ESPN