In any given year, the hiring of new head coaches in the N.F.L. prompts hope and revival for millions of fans.
But when the most recent hiring cycle ended on Monday with the Houston Texans hiring Lovie Smith to fill the ninth and final open spot, the tally of minorities in such jobs was, to many civil rights leaders, disappointingly low.
Two of the nine vacancies, or 22 percent, were filled by minorities: Smith, who is Black, and Mike McDaniel of the Dolphins, who is biracial. That rate is consistent with past hiring cycles and brings the number of head coaches of color to five in the 32-team league.