Deion Sanders addresses NFL minority rule, touts Jackson State's diversity with female, Caucasian staff members

Late last week, the NFL announced a sweeping new rule change targeted for all 32 member teams that was adopted to require those teams to hire an ethnic minority or female assistant coach into an offensive coaching position in 2022.

It didn’t take long for Pro Football Hall of Famer Deion Sanders, the second-year head coach of Football Championship Subdivision and Historically Black Colleges and University program Jackson State, to weigh in on the changes.

Sanders mostly embraced the rule change, with a caveat, and he also noted that his Tigers’ program already matched the NFL’s targeted diversity goal by Sanders’s hiring of Caucasian staff members.

“First of all, I love the dern NFL. We’re the most powerful organization in the world, we are,” Sanders said on YouTube. “A lot of folks shut it down during the pandemic, we kept it going.

“Now we implement this new rule. It says ‘teams have to actually hire a female or a member of an ethnic or racial minority as an offensive assistant coach in 2022.’ A female or ethnic or racial minority. I wonder why it wasn’t defense. That’s No. 1, I’m. defensive player and I’m wondering why it wasn’t on defense, but I have an offensive mind. I like it. I like it.

“I don’t know if I love it, but I like it. Because I don’t like anyone forcing anyone’s hands but for opportunities I guess sometimes we have to. I wish this is implemented in college football.”

As Sanders offered his take on the new NFL rule, he utilized the opportunity to likewise plead for more reforms to make college football like the NFL game.

“I think college football should mirror pros in all facets,” Sanders said. “Rules, the thought processes of the game, hiring as well. Just imagine if all college football were mandated to actually hire a female or member of an ethnic or racial minority as an offensive assistant coach. Now, in the NCAA, we would have to … it doesn’t matter how many coaches you have in professional football but in the NCAA I believe it’s 11; five (offense), five (defense) and the head coach. That would be awesome; I would love to see this implemented in college football.”

Sanders then outlined his Tigers’ staff’s minority inclusion – which in this case, he noted, meant the Caucasian staff members and other females.

“I don’t like nothing forced, but I tell you, the reason this is fascinating is because we have our head equipment person, Dominique, is a female African-American; our head trainer is a female Caucasian,” Sanders said, “and with the minority practices, we’ve already practiced that because the minorities would be Caucasians in this realm of HBCUs and our offensive coordinator, tight ends coach, offensive line coach, GAs, three GAs, we’re already practicing equality. The reason being that how can I ask for something I’m not willing to give.”

Sanders then spoke third-person to drive home his point.

“Prime you hit em right there. I’ll wait,” he said. “I’ll give you time to absorb what I just said. How can we ask for things that we’re not willing to give and to show and to display. Say it loud. The church music should kick in.”