Stephen A. Smith Blasts Denver Broncos for Hiring White Coach Over Eric Bieniemy: ‘As a Black Man, it’s Sickening’
Despite vowing to do better, the NFL has a diversity problem with its head coaches and Stephen A. Smith put the Denver Broncos on blast to exemplify the issue Thursday morning.
The Broncos hired Green Bay Packers offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who is White, to be their next head coach. Smith didn’t want to discredit Hackett, but ESPN’s First Take host ranted about Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, who is Black, getting overlooked.
“It’s just a damn shame when I see something like this,” Smith said Thursday morning. “In regards to Eric Bieniemy and his resume, and then you put that up against Nathaniel Hackett’s resume.”
As the Chiefs’ offensive play caller for quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Bieniemy is widely considered one of the top coordinators in the NFL. Hackett had a major role in sculpting the Green Bay Packers offense, but he was not their play caller.
“You just scored 10 points in an NFC Divisional playoff game,” Smith said to note the Packers offensive failure against the San Francisco 49ers last week. “And a couple of weeks later you get a head coaching job, but Eric Bieniemy with those qualifications doesn’t get the job. I’m telling you right now, as a Black man, it is sickening, it is insulting, and it bothers the living hell out of me.”
Currently, among the 32 teams in the NFL, only one employs a Black head coach – Mike Tomlin, who has been with the Pittsburgh Steelers for 15 years. That number is deplorably low, especially considering nearly 60 percent of NFL players are Black.
Hackett’s connection to Aaron Rodgers could be one reason why he had an advantage in getting the Broncos job. Rodgers might request a trade this offseason, and a reunion with his former offensive coordinator in Denver would be an appealing option.
For Bieniemy, despite his offensive prowess, being on the staff at the University of Colorado during their recruiting scandal in the early 2000s could be hurting his chances of getting a head coaching job.
Watch above via ESPN
