NFL Accelerator Program; Spice up the Pro Bowl

Accelerator program. We're gonna get to that. We're gonna talk a little bit more about some potential changes coming to the Pro Bowl and some potential resolution to the Deshaun Watson situation. All that just ahead. So let's welcome our palace, guys. Glad to have you with us, Thanks for spending some time here. Let's also get into basically some of the biggest things that you guys found out from the Spring League meeting. And let's start with the Coaching from Office

Accelerator program. Steve, and this was something, um that is the kind of the latest initiative for the league to try to rectify the diversity issues they've had in the

hiring practices for coaches and gms and executives. And and first, Steve, let me get your thoughts in any end if you could follow up basically, what was what was the word there um once once this program you know, came about and got started here initially and what if folks don't know all thirty two teams had to send at least one most of them two representatives for potential head coaches or from office executives who are diverse or female. And

you know, initially read well this isn't hours. I heard from some folks like, well, why wise the league need to do this for us when the white male coaches don't have this and they're getting all the jobs. Um. But by the end of the program, those who were cynical of it um, those who really didn't care too much for some of the workshops that they had because they said they already knew some of the information. They were like, it was actually good to get FaceTime um

with the owners. You know, typically in the hiring cycle, the owners don't know who any of these candidates are, but the team president and general managers do, well, they're you know, they're like, we skipped that middleman part by getting the FaceTime with some of the owners and the fact that you know, they're gonna be able to keep in touch with these owners throughout the year, you know, as long as they're not actively being recruited right to

violate the tampering things. So it's gonna be a slow burn. I mean, no one thinks this is gonna, you know, all of a sudden increase the pot overnight. But Ian I think the biggest thing I heard came from the owners um wanted somewhat disappointing, but too it's it's all a revelation. Most of them said they didn't know that a lot of these coaches and GM executives were out there, which is a shame on on their part. But at the same time, you know, they keep hearing the thoughts

of oh, there's a pipeline, there's no pipeline. Well they saw it's not a it's not a pipeline. It's it's a vast ocean of talent that you know was in was at this meeting, and there's more out there. So I think that was eye opening and allowed them to understand that they don't have to really go reach that far to find diverse talent, like maybe they previously thought. Yeah, I mean it seemed to me from the you know, potential candidates that I spoke with, um who were there

with us in Atlanta, it seemed pretty positive. You know, I'm not And there was some cool things. You know, there was some candidates who the candidates got to sit in on the owners meetings learn a little bit. All that was nice. It seemed the best was just talking to the owners, sitting there having a converts casual conversation at a cocktail party, just talking to these owners and you know, on one hand, it is sad that the owners a lot of them didn't know some of these

guys existed. On the other hands, um, this is a great way to do it. Like, you know, if you're an owner and you're trying to feel like, look at coaches like you might not necessarily know like the defensive line coach for another team not in your division, or you might not necessarily know like the pro personnel director.

You know, the coordinators, and certainly we all spend time talking about the hot coordinators as you get ready for the hiring cycle, but you might not know the guys who are going to be coordinators, who are going to be gms, are going to be assistant gms. This is a great way to introduce everyone to everyone in a sort of casual way. Um, you're right. I definitely heard

some skepticism. Definitely heard some skepticism. Um, But I think overall the result was people got in the room and talked and got to know each other in a way they previously hadn't That is all a net positive coming out of this thing in Atlanta. So essentially it was it was, you know, a networking event basically to get

to know people. And I mean that's the first step, right, I mean, uh, you know, as as kind of simple as it sounds, um, you know, And that's it kind of feels like part of Steve what we saw when we were seeing the trend of hot offensive coaches you know, uh, you know, the genius type offensive coaches getting all the love for the head coaching vacancies, and that's why they then started the quarterback uh coach or the offensive you know coaches summit, right, which we saw the last couple

of years. Um. Is this kind of maybe just another piece of that that that can kind of get that pipeline of diverse talent in through the proper channels, which I guess Steve also goes goes along with the new addition to the Rooney rule right in quarterback coaches now being included. Well, first I've read to the latter point the Rooney rule change where for the quarterback coach position

you have to interview an outside an external diverse candidate. Um, that's gonna that's gonna have a short term bounce because what this accelerator did. You can go fishing in that room right there, say you guys? Who who could? Who can? Who can go right there? Are they? These folks will not people, um who could help teams find that type of talent. And this is kind of building on on

the Quarterback Summit. The one thing that the Quarterback Summit doesn't have that this did where the owners, you know, all the owners showed up. I mean they all showed up. And that was something I was watching out for the house since here they would be and Ian, you know, we saw it wasn't these guys having to approach the owners.

A lot of these owners were approaching these guys. And what else really helped is I had one you know, rising personnel executive tell me meeting Roger Goodell and having a ten or fifteen minute conversation with Roger Goodell, who can now vouch for them. They've established that relationship where he said, Okay, Goodell's like, you can call me with any any issues you want and this guy said Goodell listened. So to be able to have that as a reference,

UM is absolutely fantastic. So again, as as Ian said, so well, the net positive, UM, I think is the big takeaway because nobody was complaining that there was a that this was a waste of time. Sure, and you know, I think the the Rooney rule quarterback coach ad was a kind of an interesting one. I was talking to another media member, UM, a friend in Atlanta, just hanging out, which you know, for those who don't know, you spent a lot of time look at Steve getting senter the

ca UM. You know, basically these events, you know, you have conversations in the hallways with owners and executives and a lot of time with media members. For better worst, Judy and uh, Steve had to hang out with me. UM. I was talking to another media member when we're kind of going through some of the quarterback coach hires and we're like, well, you know, you really don't interview for quarterback coach. You kind of just you just name the

person or someone. And then I think both of us sort of at the same time, we're like, well, that's a problem, and it really is a problem. Like when you're hiring a quarterback coach, which is a feeder for head coaches and is a high profile position, just naming some guy is not good enough. It's just not And so often people go, all right, I'm gonna name the quarterback coach that I'm comfortable with that I know that I have coaches within the past that runs my system,

whatever it is. So you see the same guys over and over getting hired for quarterback coaching jobs, whether they should or not. And I don't know if, like what kind of indictment this is of myself, but this has been going on for years and years, and I never really thought like, hey, shouldn't there be a more diverse pool, Like teams like the Eagles went into college football, um and found a quarterback coach who was at Florida. I

was was actually there, um and who yeah, who? Who spent some time talking to yesterday and I was like, oh, that's a clever higher not thinking like I know, more teams open the brain a little bit and who else can I hire that? Maybe I don't know. It's well,

this is all very interesting. Actually yeah. And so like I brought up the Quarterback Summit because you group that now with the addition of the quarterback coaching position to the Rooney Rule and now the front office and coach Accelerator program where you're getting hands on face time with the owners and it it feels like that's a real powerful trio to kinda to try to make some improvement in these areas in which we've we've all seen the league fall short in the last few years. So um,

it's great. It's look, it's great to see. Let's see how it let's see how it happens. As you mentioned, Steve, short term is is is great. Long term is obviously what we're looking for here. And as as UH Commissioner Roger Goodell said in the interview with you that the individuals in the clubs, it's up to them to keep the momentum going. We put these things in place, it's now time to start seeing some change. So that's all

great to see. And I do want to get into just a couple of other things here from the Spring League meeting there in Atlanta, and we'll do that here in just second right for this quick break, all right

back with you on NFL Inside Report. Lewis joined here today by Steve White and Keen rap Reports as they were at the last League meeting just a couple of days ago in Atlanta, and now kind of looking at some of the other news that we've seen come out of that meeting, and we heard Commission Roger Goodell at the conclusion of the meeting talk in his press conference about the potential discipline coming forward to Shaun Watson Ian,

what's your understanding of where that situation stands at this point. We kind of thought when DeShawn Watson was interviewed by NFL officials last week in Houston for several days that it would be kind of the end, because usually the subject of the investigation is last to gather all the information. You see, what you know, and then you basically present the subject with what you've learned, and you let this person give you know the take and get all the

truth and move from there. So we thought this was kind of the end and Roger Goodell essentially confirmed that the investigation is nearing a close. So what's gonna happen now is the league, the officials, the investigators are gonna go look at what John Watson said compared to what they know way all the stuff they what they've gathered for the last several months, and then presented to a

third party arbitrator who's not Roger Goodell. And that's different because in the past, Goodell has made the decision and then you know, the union or the player could appeal. It's different. Now it's a third party arbitrator and then both sides can appeal eventually. Um, so you know, the belief is that the investigation is basically done. The belief is that we will get an answer before the summer

and well before training him. So at least if you're the Browns, you know, all right, like we know what we have during the season, and I know, Steve, you're gonna get a lot of you know, guesses. And each time any of us speaks publicly in any sense, people say, how much how many games do you think? I don't know,

nobody knows, nobody knows. There's so much here. Um, you know, we're just gonna have to wait to see what the arbitrator decides, right, because we don't know which evidence is going to be relevant um to to a decision that they've collected. Um, you know, and we both were speaking to plenty of people there from you know, teams and in the league on this, you know, and they do want to get resolution as soon as possibly. Is the first phase of resolution, like you said, it has to

go through a couple of layers before there's final resolution. Um, the feeling is no matter what the answer is, whether they wait on discipline until after the season when the civil trials could take place in three whether they administer discipline now, the length of discipline, severity of discipline, there's going to be no way that anybody is gonna like everybody's gonna be okay, like okay that was justified discipline or their patients is something that you know that to

due process, like, there's gonna be an issue regardless. So they want to have that for punk relationship LEAs reasons they would love to take the blowback before the whistle starts snapping, before you know, blowing before training camp. But whatever it is, um, in some form or fashion, we should know something. The next couple of weeks. Also at that news conference commissure, Goodell was asked multiple questions about Washington Commander's ownership and Dan Snyder in the situation there.

Steve will start with you and then get your thoughts here Ian as well. How much of the Snyder's situation was a topic kind of amongst ownership and and kind of in the hallways that you guys were there at the league meeting. Not much from from what I could tell, it doesn't sound like much. And even Roger Goodell came out and said, you know, someone I asked him a question about a report that owners are gathering votes to get Daniel Snyder removed from ownership beast like, yeah, Yeah,

there was really no discussion, no discussion about that. Didn't hear anything about that. So whether that's true or not, you know, I I take Roger Goodell at his word. Um, but that did not seem to be among the owners at least um as much of discussion about other things that were on the actual meeting agenda. Yeah. I talked to an owner after the session after the you know, owner's only session, asked what they discussed. Uh, it sounds like no Dan Snyder discussion m hm, which I guess

surprised me considering the reports coming into it. Um. And then, like you know, a lot of times, as Steve knows, when Roger Goodell talks to the press conference, we kind of know what some of the answers are gonna be. You know, yesterday it was pro bos and innapous, it was you know, Deshaun Lawson. Roger Goodell essentially said we thought he was going to say, which is that the

investigations coming to a close. When he made his answer on Dan Snyder and really shot down any sort of report that Snyer was in trouble, that he was going to lose the team, that there were votes being counted. I elbowed Judy next to me because I was surprised, like it was a sort of rebuke of the report.

And you know, things can happen many different ways this can go, um, but I was surprised that he came back so hard against the you know, possible removal of Dan snunder, which which is to say, in our thinking, he is the owner of the Washington Commanders for the foreseeable future until something dramatic changes. Sure. Sure, and obviously we'll keep following that story, but you mentioned two of the other big pieces of news to come out of

the meeting there. Let's start with the Pro Bowl Ian because that was kind of a one of those When you sent out the tweet that potential changes were coming, it was like, you know, there was all right, what's it gonna be? Right? I mean like that was that's like a real like firestarter tweet right there. What wasn't

necessarily anticipating it? But I gotta tell you this. So I was calling the Shrine Bowl in Vegas at the same time as the Pro Bowl this past year, and uh, and then I was down in Mobile, you know, as the Senior Bowl was going on. It's like I just didn't I didn't have I didn't watch the Senior the Pro Bowl live. Then went back went back and saw it and was like, wait, this is what the Pro Bowl has become. You did go back and see it.

I did, after everybody was talking about it, after everybody about and I was like, well, what's what's going on here? So yeah, you're right, clearly the game had evolved into something that it should not be. And so what's the resolution? I guess that's the point that that we're trying to make yours and we didn't. We don't know, um, but that's what we're looking for, right, Yeah, I mean, I'm you could sign me up for a stolid quarter of Pro Bowl watching every year. Um, you know, it's usually

when I get to the Super Bowl host city. In my hotel room Sunday called a little exercise put on the Pro Bowl, like all right, one quarter is good, leave the TV on so it gets the ratings and then uh, you know and that um it's not great. Uh. And I have to say I was not expecting that news yesterday and I was like smiling as I tweeted because I knew it would get a great because like it's so much. It's like, all right, well, if we're not gonna do the game, then we're gonna do what.

We're not gonna do the traditional game, because I think there will be a game, you know, Steve, Like, I think we'll get a flag football game or something, some sort of seven on seven, some sort of something where you get to celebrate and showcase these players who deserve to be there, and the players like going. They bring

their families, a lot of them. Hang, it must be clear the event like the week has been great, and the interaction with the community that hosts the Pro Bowl has always been great and all of the events surrounding it. It's just the game. It's the issue, right, um yeah, and let me take this phone, call me right back real quick. But but but still in on on the on the Pro Bowl. I mean, guys just don't want to get hurt. I mean that's to coming out. And

I understand. I remember growing I remember growing up back in the day and like the seventies and eighties, and I mean, these guys are getting after it, but I mean they won't pay the money. They weren't getting paid the money or didn't have um things in their contract that said, hey, you know you've if you're healthy, then it's gonna be guaranteed by this day. So guys just don't want to get hurt. So this is gonna end up being read by all accounts, a skills competition. And

they can make it fun. Right. Let's have you know, Tom Brady and Matt Ryan and some of the older Probowl quarterbacks against the up starts, you know, against Kyler Murray and Josh Allen and come. So it'll end up something to do it yeah, there are ways to do it. And see you're you're too right. But see I grew up watching the show on ABC called Like Superstars, where they would have like athletes and entertainers actually participating in kind of Olympic type competitions, be it swimming, be a

track and field, um, be it whatever. I think it's actually gonna morph into that where you're not just getting niche football fans watching it, where where it could end up being a real crossover event with all the you know, the TV network UM programming and things like that. I think two or three years from now, we're gonna see people like you know, Ian, it's part of four by one hundred team with to Kill and Jordan Poyer. Um, Kelsey, you just got drafted. Ay event. I'm coming with an

idea where we're mixing, we're making sports entertainment together. Ian, I think it's well a couple of things, Um dodge more. What are the linemen gonna do is do anything? I guess the dogs ball, that Dodgs ball thing you throughout there would be show awesome dodgeball. Oh god, I'm sorry, I gotta get that. But yeah, that's the point, Like you gotta fight you can't just have a flag football game because like what are the old lineman and d

linemen do nothing? Right like it? So that's competitions and things like that. Yeah, yeah, there's gotta be there's gotta be a way to to include everyone because you know, that's that's the name of the game here. So I think that's ah, look, that's the dodgeball thing would be interesting. Now, Look, they've done skills, they do skills competitions already, you know, and like we saw that in Vegas. We've seen that

in years past. Uh you know, we had the beach Um football game, flag football game, you know when it was back in Hawaii years ago until until Robert Edwards blew out his knee right right. So and that's the other thing, like it's it's you know, we gotta we gotta manage the fun and then the practicality why the injury risk? Sure? So all right, well, so something something's happening, something's brewing with the Pro Bowl, and that will be

interesting to follow here. Uh, it's as we try to figure out what the next generation of the game and of the event and of the week is going to be. Next up though, and don't go back, Okay, I want to win in hold on. I'm sorry. I'm sorry about ever. Know, sometimes important people call you for not important reasons, so you just never know who's calling. Not that those people call me for not important reasons, but they did. Um, so here's what I want. The lineman dodgeball is a

great idea. That would be fun. Kickball also fun. Um. What I also kind of like is like linemen are generally pretty funny. You could just give them lawn chairs and mike them up and just have them do the announcing nice for the seven os. I think like Taylor Lawn would be pretty good doing that. There's I mean, there's a bunch of guys, a bunch of like big hilarious dude, so I think that would be good. The other thing is a lot of these guys like to

eat um, and a lot of them grill. You do like a grilling competition, and maybe they make ribs and brisket or something for everyone postgame, Like if we're gonna open our brains, let's like actually open our brains and make this. But it should be which is just a fun, cool, weird event. I'm starting to uh yeah, right, there goes think guy Fieri judging the grilling contest. There goes too, and you're part of the crew. You got top billing, Robert de Niro, YEP, Star Magazine, Me and past Sarah.

We'll look to double down on your dodgeball idea. Vince Vaughn honorary coach for one of the teams, right, and then we get we get Jason Bateman to actually announce the events as Pepper right as the guy who's sitting there as the analyst on ESPN, the OHO and so like. It's a lot of great ideas here, guys. I think think we should be the committee to figure this whole thing out for the program. I think we'll get it

gone all right. Lastly, the Combine. After much discussion this past year in Indianapolis about the Combine leaving Indianapolis, it's back and it's staying for at least two more years. Ian This is fantastic news. The Combine will remain in Indianapolis. Where did all the discussion about leaving go? I think a couple of things. One, when you know, you really only get to find out what people think of something

whatever it is, when it's maybe taken away. Right, so you know, we'd go to India and people are like, oh, it's cold. I mean, I did it, you know, it's cold. He got walked from place to place or like, you know, it's the same thing over and over. And there was some like grumbling, and then they talked about possibly doing away with it and putting it in l A or Dallas. And then like something weird happened this year where you know, we all missed it the year before obviously because of COVID,

and everyone was happy to be there. And I sensed it like crazy, and I felt it. I was happy to be there too. I was like, it was so great to be back. I just kept thinking that, and you could feel this ground soil of support. So like I was talking and I had, you know, I would say sort of a report um that the Common would be back in Indie the next year while at the combat, and the reaction was so positive. I was like, oh, yeah,

this is definitely staying. Yeah, so maybe in the future Dallas, maybe in the future l A, but not anytime soon. I don't think, Steve well as it should be. I mean, it's the most central, the central location not just in the country for everybody to get to, but you can walk everywhere in Indianapolis, and yeah, you have to be

in the cold, but not for long. Um, you know you're at Roger Goodell say hey, look, they've got to find ways to be more efficient with some of the medical stuff, so guys aren't waiting two hours to get m R eyes and things like that. But those are those are relatively easy things to figure out logistically. So

Indianapolis is where it should be. The city appreciated, the people they are appreciate it, and I think if you put it in a major market city, it just wouldn't have the overall communal impact that it does in Indianapolis, which is just a great, great host city for major

sporting events, no doubt, no doubt about it. All Right, lastly, here, I thought this was really cool, especially since my family has a background in athletic training and seeing that the NFL is now creating a program Steve for HBC used to provide medical students as part of a partnership um here and a chance to work with NFL teams this season. Man, that was really neat, I mean, and that's impactful. Of course. You know, anytime I get a shout at Howard University,

they won the four medical schools. Um, you know that they are part of this program. But speaking of Reggie Scott, you know who's the head of the professional Football trainers and also the RAMS trainer. Compressive guy. I never really super impressive, No, go ahead, And yeah, I hadn't really heard him speak very much. You know, I don't trainers, don't do a lot of interviews. He was. I think

he was really impressive. He's super impressive. And you know he said, it's not just you know, to give uh, you know, diverse medical students opportunities to work in the sports field, but to let them explore all of the varied content of the emerging sports science world, being nutrition, being strength of training, all of the new things coming out in analytics, in medical you know, in medical aspects

of sports training. So it's more of the exposure to the very opportunities that are there than so much getting them with teams to work. Yeah, I thought it was all. I mean, look, this was a really like productive, productive

and impactful meeting. It felt like these last couple of days, right, more so than usually these like spring meetings are kind of like, yeah, you know, a couple of perfunctory things and like this was like the other think like someone asked me, one of the you know, team executives there asked me the other day, I go, I'm you know, I'm surprised to say you down here wasn't much of talking about like I thought. It was great. Yeah, I'm

got it. Getting to meet I mean, Steve knows like hang on the hallways, meet some of these young executives and coaches like I had met at some of these guys, but I did, but not all. I thought. It was like fascinating the whole thing. This was like a very very good couple of days. I would say, Now, you guys did a great job for it there. Appreciate your time here today as well, Steve Whitch and I and

rapport here with us on NFL Inside Report. And that's gonna do it for this episode of NFL Inside Report, Thanks so much for being with us here. Certainly appreciate it. For our producers, Tim Parrochka and Thomas Warren, I'm your host, Brett Lewis, have a good one. NFL Inside Report is the production of the NFL and partnership with I Heart Radio for more official podcasts from the NFL. This at the I heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.