The NFL’s Accelerator program has been in the spotlight lately, and “new” Kansas City Chiefs’ offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has been a big beneficiary in the past. The program is designed to promote diversity in the upper ranks of the league, specifically among coaches and executives, and Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk provided a sharp update on what’s been happening with the program in the last couple of years.

The Accelerator program was canceled last year with the federal government targeting DEI programs, although the league denied that the cancellation was due to this administration’s watchdog efforts to at least discourage many of these kinds of programs.

Advertisement

“This is not us taking the direction of anyone on the outside,” said NFL senior V.P. and chief diversity and inclusion officer Jonathan Beane when the cancellation was announced last year, nor was it a “reaction to D.C.”

Now the program is back, which is good news for coaches like Bieniemy and former Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, both of whom have benefitted from the program. Florio went on to list a large number of coaches and executives from around the league who have also been able to get significant coaching and executive jobs after participating in the program. Chiefs executive Mike Bradway has also been a participant in the program.

The state of Florida is currently leading the charge in targeting DEI programs, but the sheer number of analogous efforts has helped the NFL grow a spine and take a stand. Ted Ullyot is the NFL’s general counsel, and he wrote this in his letter to Florida attorney general James Uthmeier on May 1:

“[The] Accelerator program is open to all individuals, regardless of race or sex. It provides an opportunity for prospective candidates for front office positions to participate in networking events, interview training, and facilitated development sessions.”

Advertisement

According to Florio, the program is working. He added that it’s “giving plenty of names already in the pipeline for one of the biggest jobs (coach and General Manager) access to the key decision makers and extra help to eventually secure one of those positions.”

It’s also helping the league ignore what Florio called the firestorm of late-night social media criticism that occasionally pops up when these programs get noticed by our current president. The NFL is a billion-dollar business that’s starting to recognize the value of diversity across the ranks, and even though the league is late to the party in its efforts, it’s a relief to see it happen given the benefits teams like the Chiefs have gleaned.