Super Bowl week usually brings polish. This year, though, it brought pressure. One pointed question cut through the noise and landed squarely on the NFL’s biggest blind spot: who gets hired to lead teams when the jobs open up.
The league talks progress every offseason, doesn’t it? This cycle, however, flipped that script. Ten head coaching vacancies came and went. The results sparked frustration across media circles and inside locker rooms. And by the time Roger Goodell stepped to the podium, the numbers were doing most of the talking.
During his annual Super Bowl press conference on February 2, 2026, the NFL Commissioner addressed sharp criticism of the league’s DEI efforts after zero Black head coaches were hired in the 2026 cycle, per multiple media reports. One reporter, in fact, directly challenged whether the programs were failing.
A reporter told NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell that the league’s DEI programs aren’t working because “NoT EnOuGh BlaCk CoAcHeS ArE HiReD”, & essentially asked why the league is prejudice, at the least, racist, at the worst…
Goodell cowardly agrees🙄
— Jon Root (@JonnyRoot_) February 3, 2026
Goodell acknowledged the outcome and committed to a full review of league policies, including the Rooney Rule and Accelerator Program, while defending their intent in a competitive hiring environment.
“We need to continue to make progress, and I believe that,” said Goodell, per insider sources. “I believe diversity is good for us. We have become a more diverse league across every platform, including coaching. But we still have more work to do.”
Out of 10 openings, only one minority candidate (Robert Saleh of the Titans, who’s Lebanese American) was hired. That leaves just three Black head coaches entering the 2026 season: Todd Bowles, DeMeco Ryans, and Aaron Glenn.
Roger Goodell on Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show
Goodell believes the Super Bowl halftime show can be bigger than politics. Speaking one day after the Grammys, the 66-year-old framed this year’s performance as a moment meant to bring people together, not divide them.
The comments, though, came amid backlash. Some conservative groups criticized the league’s choice after Bad Bunny’s recent political statements. Social media reaction was loud, but the NFL was okay. League executives continue to emphasize global reach and cultural impact.
At his Super Bowl press conference on February 3, 2026, Roger Goodell said the league chose Bad Bunny for both talent and perspective, per Yahoo Sports reporting. Fresh off a historic Grammy night, the superstar remains central to the NFL’s push to connect with a broader, younger audience.