May 15, 2025
‘This will allow us to reimagine the program, reflecting on the feedback and engaging with stakeholders so we can ensure a successful program in the future’
The NFL has postponed its coach accelerator program, which was launched to help increase diversity in coaching positions. It was to be held during its spring meeting in Minneapolis on May 20 and 21.
According to ESPN, the league is reimagining the initiative so it can return in 2026.
This notice comes after President Donald Trump started peeling back DEI initiatives from the government and threatened companies that continued to implement similar programs with sanctions or withdrawing their funding.
“We believe diversity of thought and background is essential to our success, and it’s reflected in the policies, programs, and partnerships that help us attract, develop, and retain top talent at every level on and off the field,” Dasha Smith, NFL chief administrative officer, said in a statement. “Every offseason, we take a step back to reflect on the positives and areas for improvement of our programs and assess ways to make them more impactful. This year, we assessed and identified additional opportunities with the Accelerator—including combining the coaching and front office programs to ensure the Accelerator continues to be as impactful as possible.
“We have decided to hold the next iteration of the Accelerator in May 2026. This will allow us to reimagine the program, reflecting on the feedback and engaging with stakeholders so we can ensure a successful program in the future.”
Earlier this year, after Trump announced his anti-DEI initiative, NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell assured fans that the DEI policies of the league would be going nowhere.
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves,” Goodell said. “I think we’ve proven ourselves that it does make the NFL better.”
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