Belichick adds minorities to staff after years of lagging

By KYLE HIGHTOWER
AP Sports Writer

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Only 18 of the 56 assistant coaches (32%) Bill Belichick has employed in full-time roles during his 22 years in New England have been minorities. Excluding strength and conditioning coaches, the number drops to 13, or just 25%. Both fall below the 35.6% of minority assistants that were on coaching staffs across the NFL in 2020.  Belichick is actively trying to change that. He says he’s a supporter of the NFL’s initiatives to introduce more coaches of color to jobs in the league and began the season with eight minority assistants, including four current or former alums of NFL-sponsored fellowship programs.