Bowles tells media to stop making black coaches “a big deal”

There are only four black head coaches in the NFL and this weekend, two of them faced each other - Steelers coach Mike Tomlin and Buccaneers coach Todd Bowles. To the media, this was something noteworthy to be talked about. To Bowles, however, it was just another game, another day, another head coach.

“We don’t look at what color we are when we coach against each other. We just know each other,” said Bowles. “I have a lot of  very good white friends that coach in this league as well. I don’t think it’s a big deal as far as us coaching against each other. I think it’s normal. (Steve) Wilks got an opportunity to do a good job, hopefully he does it. And we coach ball, we don’t look at color.”

After he made this statement, a reporter pointed out the importance of representation, asking if he understood why young people needed to see someone who “looks like them” in positions of leadership.

“Well, when you say you see ‘you guys,’ and ‘look like them’ and ‘grew up like them,’ that means that we’re oddballs to begin with,” Bowles said. “I think the moment you guys stop making a big deal about it everybody else will as well.”

Bowles is focused on his job rather than politics in the NFL and as he well should be. Though it may be true that representation matters, it’s been a very slow progression in the NFL. The last time two black coaches faced each other was 16 years ago. Of course, it’s for this very reason that the media is making it a big deal - to point out the imbalance. Around 70% of NFL players are black but less than 10% of the coaches are black. The point I believe Bowles is trying to make here is that celebrating two black coaches facing each other considering how rare it is actually does nothing to advance the issue.

“I know what color I am. I wake up every day. It’s funny because I wasn’t a black defensive back coach. I wasn’t a black coordinator. But now I’m a black head coach,” said Bowles. “So the responsibility there is to do the right thing, be the right person, not to go out and say, ‘I’m Superman, here I am, look at what I’m doing.’ It’s to lead. And always have your hand out to pull somebody up. If that helps them be successful, I’ll try my damnedest.”

The Buccaneers lost to the Steelers on Sunday, 20-18, bringing the Bucs to 3-3.