The NFL’s diversity push, particularly through involvement with HBCU institutions, continues.
Yesterday the league, in partnership with the NFL Physicians Society (NFLPS) and the Professional Football Athletic Trainer Society (PFATS), announced the list of medical students participating in the inaugural season of the NFL Diversity in Sports Medicine Pipeline Initiative.
The program, per the release, “aims to increase and diversify the pipeline of students interested in pursuing careers in sports medicine and, over time, help to diversify NFL club medical staff.”
This year’s class features 14 students from four HBCU medical schools including Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Howard University College of Medicine, Morehouse School of Medicine, and Meharry Medical College.
The students will focus on primary care sports medicine and/or orthopedic surgery. They will work within the medical staff of eight teams including the Atlanta Falcons, Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers, Los Angeles Rams, New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Tennessee Titans and Washington Commanders.
“I am thrilled to welcome these outstanding medical students to our clubs this fall,” said NFL Chief Medical Officer Dr. Allen Sills. “This program will be an opportunity not only for these students to learn from NFL club medical staff, but also to develop mentoring relationships that will help them throughout their careers. As we embark on the first season of this initiative, I am hopeful that our efforts to diversify the pipeline of students interested in sports medicine will have long-lasting positive effects on the medical care athletes receive well beyond NFL players.”
The initiative follows on the heels of the league’s effort to diversify its coaching ranks.
Over the past two seasons, teams have failed or blatantly refused to hire Black head coaches.
At the end of the 2020 season, there were six head coaching vacancies and only one was filled by a Black head coach (David Culley of the Texans).
At the end of last season, there were nine vacancies after Brian Flores and David Culley were fired by the Dolphins and Texans, respectively. Of those openings, Lovie Smith was the only Black coach hired, leaving the total number of Black head coaches at two (the Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel doesn’t identify himself as Black). In April, Todd Bowles was named the Bucs’ head coach after Bruce Arians’ stepped down.
And let’s not forget about Brian Flores’ current racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL.
In March, the NFL mandated teams must hire a minority coach as an offensive assistant. They also formed a committee to review diversity hiring policies.
Now the league has expanded its diversity efforts to the medical side of the ball. Beginning the program with 14 HBCU students is a great way to build the pipeline.
“My biggest hope through this experience is to inspire youth, especially those from under-represented backgrounds to pursue professions like medicine where they can do incredible things such as sports medicine with the NFL,” said Felipe Ocampo of Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science.
