LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. – The Washington Commanders today announced the creation of the Doug Williams Diversity Coaching Fellowship. This program will provide the Commanders with access to talented coaches from Historically Black Colleges and Universities ("HBCUs") while giving a diverse set of applicants the opportunity to advance their careers while learning and growing with an NFL coaching staff.
The Doug Williams Diversity Coaching Fellowship aligns with the recent initiative announced by the National Football League encouraging team-led opportunities for minority coaches to have a pathway toward gaining access and experience working with an NFL offensive staff.
The Commanders will hire the selected Doug Williams Fellow to the role of Offensive Assistant, working primarily with the head coach, offensive coordinator, and quarterbacks coach. The Doug Williams Fellow will work alongside the offensive staff in assisting in film breakdown, game planning and coaching the scout team. Qualified candidates will be evaluated and interviewed by a selection committee composed of Williams, Head Coach Ron Rivera, General Manager Martin Mayhew, Offensive Coordinator Scott Turner, Quarterbacks Coach Ken Zampese and other members of the Commanders coaching staff and football operations team.
"I have always said that fostering opportunities for young coaches of color is what we need to do in order to correct the issues we have been seeing with the hiring cycles in the league," said Head Coach Ron Rivera. "We are excited to announce the Doug Williams Diversity Coaching Fellowship which will help us continue to grow as an organization and help foster young coaching talent to set them up for success in their careers. There is no better man to honor with the naming of this fellowship than the great Doug Williams who is a trailblazer in the NFL and has represented this organization with class for many years."
Williams is the Senior Advisor to Washington Commanders President Jason Wright along with being a member of the 80 Greatest Washington players and a Ring of Fame inductee. He played with the franchise from 1986-89 and led them to a Super Bowl XXII title, which was a 42-10 rout of the Denver Broncos, earning Super Bowl MVP honors. He became the first African American quarterback to play in and win a Super Bowl.
Prior to his role as senior advisor to the team president, Williams held the position of senior vice president of player development (2020-21), senior vice president of player personnel (2017-19) and was the head coach at his alma mater Grambling State from 2011-13.
Any coach interested in applying to the Fellowship can do so, HERE.
