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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 9/21/17 http://twitter.com/NFL345

BILL WALSH NFL DIVERSITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP ATTRACTS RECORD 144 PARTICIPANTS

- PROGRAM INCLUDES 43 FORMER NFL PLAYERS & RECORD FIVE FEMALE COACHES -

A record 144 minority coaches took part in this year’s BILL WALSH NFL DIVERSITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP, the NFL announced today.

Established in 1987, the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship provides NFL coaching experience to a diverse group of participants every year. The program, which was named after the man who conceived the idea – late Pro Football Hall of Fame BILL WALSH – exposes talented minority college coaches, high school coaches and former players to the methods and philosophies of NFL coaching staffs. Walsh introduced the concept to the league in 1987 when he brought a group of minority coaches into his ’ training camp.

The program has tutored nearly 2,000 minority coaches through the years and has grown to the point that now every NFL team participates during offseason workout programs, minicamps and training camp.

In 2017, the program included a record five female participants – ODESSA JENKINS (Atlanta), PHOEBE SCHECTER (Buffalo), COLLETTE SMITH ( Jets), STEPHANIE BALOCHKO () and KATIE SOWERS (San Francisco). Sowers, who also participated in the program with Atlanta in 2016, was hired by the 49ers as a seasonal offensive assistant, becoming the second full-time female assistant coach in league history.

Los Angeles Chargers first-year head coach , a graduate of the program, began considering coaching as a viable post-career option following a conversation with Walsh during his playing career.

“He started talking to me about coaching,” said Lynn of his conversation with Walsh. “He said, ‘I’ve identified you as a coach in the and I want to tell you about my program for minority coaches.’ And we begin this talk about coaching. I had never thought about coaching before but that’s where the seed was planted. From that moment on, every team meeting I sat in, I starting taking notes like a coach, I started preparing like a coach.”

Lynn is one of four current NFL head coaches – (Cincinnati), () and (Pittsburgh) being the others – who are graduates of the program.

“I had the opportunity to work in this program when Coach Walsh initiated it with the 49ers, and it’s great to see it continue as strong as it is,” said Lewis. “We are happy to bring coaches in to benefit our staff as well as aid in their development as a coach.”

Active NFL head coaches who are graduates of the Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship:

HEAD COACH TEAM INTERNSHIP(S) Hue Jackson Cleveland 1990 with LA Rams; 1992 with Arizona, 1995 with Washington Marvin Lewis Cincinnati 1988 with San Francisco; 1991 with Kansas City Anthony Lynn Chargers 2000 with Denver Mike Tomlin Pittsburgh 2000 with Cleveland

2017 BILL WALSH NFL DIVERSITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP PARTICIPANTS

CLUB # PARTICIPANTS (BACKGROUND & PRESENT AFFILIATION) 6 Martin Bayless (Former Player), (Former Player; North Carolina Elite Prep), Plaxico Burress (Former Player), (Former Player), Tommy Kelly (Provine HS), Greg Liberty (Nashville HS) 7 Aden Durde (Former Player), Odessa Jenkins (Dallas Elite Women’s Football), Kevin Mawae* (Former Player), Robbie Picazo (Stanford), Lance Schulters (Former Player), * (Former Player; Bucknell), Jonathan Webster (Northwest Mississippi CC) Ravens 7 Alex Atkins (Tulane), Brian Bratton (Furman), Don Davis (Calvert HS), Matthew Hewitt (Rutgers), (Former Player), (Former Player), Tom Sims (Pittsburgh) 4 Byron Thomas (Alfred State), Kade Rannings*, Phoebe Schecter, Lonnie Teasley (New Haven) 3 Aaron Curry* (Former Player; North Carolina), Travelle Wharton (Former Player), Addison Williams (Furman) 3 Kevin Vickerson (Former Player); (Former Player/Coach), Matt Willis (Former Player) 5 Jonathan Carr (Clark Atlanta), Aaron Curry* (Former Player; North Carolina), (Former Player), Rod Plummer (Florida A&M), Tory Woodbury (Johnson C. Smith) 4 Harrison Bernstein (Georgetown), JoLonn Dunbar (Former Player), Glenn Holt (St. Thomas Aquinas HS), John Tomlinson (Cedar Hill HS) 3 Ken Amato (Tennessee State), Siriki Diabate (Middle Tennessee), Andre Gurode (Former Player) 3 Jovon Bouknight (Utah State), Toure Carter* (Stanford), Jake Zweig (Findlay) 4 Antonio Bradford (Tennessee State), Michael Ghobrial (Tarleton State), Keith Gilmore, Aristotle Thompson (Cal Poly) 3 Brandon Jackson (Former Player; Tusculum College), Kade Rannings*, Vic So’oto (Former Player; Virginia) Texans 3 Olindo Mare (Former Player), Layymarr Marshall (Davidson), Brandon Shelby (Indiana) 6 Jason Brooks (FIU), Marco Butler (Catawba College), Mayur Chaudhari (Hawaii), Andre Coleman (Kansas State), Jordan Hogan (Stonehill College), Nathan Vasher (Former Player; Lake Forest HS) 2 Aaron McGinty (Millsaps College), LaDarrius M. Stallings (Kentucky Wesleyan) 8 Derrick Alexander (Former Player; Avila), Erik Frazier, Jr. (Northwestern), Darren Garrigan (Texas A&M Commerce), Jarrod James (North Carolina), Michael Pitre (Montana State), Cyrus Satoafaiga (Utah), Anthony Tuioti (California), (Former Player) 5 Ranier Caldwell (Mississippi Valley State), Stacey Dillard (Former Player), Donovan Jackson (Savannah State), Mark James (Virginia Union), Stephen Thomas (Princeton) 4 Jeff Burrow (Kent State), Marvin Sanders, Don Shumpert (Iowa), Brandon Smith (East Texas Baptist) 5 Andre Bly (Former Player), Andre’ Goodman (South Carolina), Derron Montgomery (Abilene Christian), Damaso Munoz (Former Player), (Central Florida) 7 Brian Anderson, Ray Betton (Shakopee HS), Tony Gilbert (North Carolina), Kevin Mawae* (Former Player), Noel Scarlett (Former Player), Anthony White (San Diego State), Scott White (UCLA) 1 Cameron Clemmons (Tennessee) 2 Andre Bly (Former Player), Doug Williams III 6 Charlie Ayro (McNeese State), DeMarcus Covington (Tennessee Chattanooga), Julius McNair (Tennessee Martin), Damon Nivens (Arkansas Pine Bluff), Greg Richmond (Fairmont State), Lewis Walker (Sacred Heart) 4 (Former Player), (Former Player), Collette Smith (New York Sharks), Ronald Talley (Former Player; Wayne State) Oakland Raiders 4 Will Harris (Former Player; San Jose State), Steven King (Bucknell), Sherrone Moore (Central Michigan), Moe Williams (Former Player; Kentucky) 5 Marco Coleman (Former Player), Art Hoomiratana (Utah), , Willie Ponder (Former Player; Colorado Mesa), Dominique Rogers (US Coast Guard Academy) 6 Stephanie Balochko (Women’s Team), Cornelius M. Coleman II (Robert Morris), Harlen T. Jacobs (Notre Dame College), Anthony Leonard (Indiana University of ), Darnel Richardson (Duquesne), Christopher Joshua Wilson (Former Player; Flint HS) San Francisco 49ers 7 Alonzo Carter (San Jose State), Nick Ferguson (Former Player), Jerrod Johnson (St. Thomas (TX) HS), Rony Sieperda, Katie Sowers (USA Football Committee), Donald White (Laney College (CA)), Rodrique Wright (Sam Houston State) 4 Benny Boyd (Central Washington), Trevor Gentry (Camas HS), (Former Player), Don Willis (Former Player; Santa Barbara City College) 7 Brian Anderson, Derrius Bell (UTEP), Marvin Clecidor (Princeton), Kerry Joseph (McNeese State), Stephen Nicholas (Former Player), Garrett Robinson (San Diego), Darnell Stapleton* (Bucknell) 7 Brian Anderson, Bokowski Daniels (Albany State), Chad Lucas (Alabama State), Rocky McIntosh (The Flint HS), Tyrone Nix (Texas A&M), Darren Paige (Holy Cross), Thad Ward (Illinois) Washington Redskins 6 Zohn Burden (), Tarence Calis (East Texas Baptist), Toure Carter* (Stanford), Glenn Ford (i-Dare U Academy), Jonathan Ramos (Towson), Jeff Sawyer (Mississippi Valley State) *Brian Anderson (Tampa Bay, Tennessee), Andre Bly (Miami, New Orleans), Toure Carter (Denver, Washington), Aaron Curry (Carolina, Cincinnati), Kevin Mawae (Atlanta, Minnesota), Kade Rannings (Buffalo, Green Bay) and Darnell Stapleton (Atlanta, Tampa Bay) participated in the fellowship with multiple teams during offseason workout programs and training camp.

2017 NFL COACHES WHO ARE GRADUATES OF BILL WALSH NFL DIVERSITY COACHING FELLOWSHIP

CLUB COACH POSITION Arizona Cardinals Anthony Blevins Coaching Assistant/Asst. Special Teams Defensive Line Kevin Ross Atlanta Falcons Keith Armstrong Special Teams Coordinator Asst. Head Coach/Wide Receivers/Passing Game Coord. Richard Angulo Asst. Offensive Line Chris Hewitt Secondary Asst. Special Teams Buffalo Bills Quarterbacks Jimmy Salgado Defensive Assistant Carolina Panthers Curtis Fuller Defensive Backs Al Holcomb Thomas McGaughey Jr. Special Teams Coordinator Richard Rodgers Asst. Defensive Backs/Safeties Eric Washington Defensive Line Chicago Bears Running Backs Ben Wilkerson Asst. Offensive Line Cincinnati Bengals Marvin Lewis Head Coach Defensive Line Cleveland Browns Hue Jackson Head Coach Clyde Simmons Defensive Line Dewayne Walker Defensive Backs Running Backs/Run Game Coordinator Dallas Cowboys Gary Brown Running Backs Leon Lett Defensive Tackles Denver Broncos Asst. Head Coach/Running Backs Detroit Lions Defensive Backs/Corners Robert Prince Wide Receivers Asst. Head Coach/Offensive Line Charles London Running Backs Indianapolis Colts Defensive Line Jacksonville Jaguars Secondary Keenan McCardell Wide Receivers Ron Middleton Tight Ends Running Backs Kansas City Chiefs Secondary/Cornerbacks Los Angeles Chargers Anthony Lynn Head Coach Asst. Special Teams Los Angeles Rams Running Backs Miami Dolphins Asst. Defensive Line Minnesota Vikings Darrell Hazell Wide Receivers Andre Patterson Defensive Line Robert Rodriguez Asst. Defensive Line New Orleans Saints Defensive Asst. New York Giants Adam Henry Wide Receivers Dwayne Stukes Asst. Special Teams Tim Walton Secondary/Cornerbacks Lunda Wells Asst. Offensive Line New York Jets David Diaz-Infante Asst. Offensive Line Karl Dorrell Wide Receivers Daylon McCutcheon Asst. Defensive Backs Oakland Raiders Defensive Line Asst. Defensive Backs Philadelphia Eagles Running Backs Pittsburgh Steelers Tight Ends Mike Tomlin Head Coach San Francisco 49ers Tem Lukabu Defensive Quality Control Vince Oghobaase Asst. Defensive Line Seattle Seahawks Michael Barrow Asst. Head Coach/Defense/Linebackers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Skyler Fulton Offensive Assistant Jay Hayes Defensive Line Anthony Perkins Asst. to the Head Coach Tennessee Titans Defensive Line Wide Receivers Keith Willis Asst. Defensive Line

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