The Woodlands‘ (Texas) assistant coach Stacy Williams has joined the Green Bay Packers coaching staff as part of the NFL‘s Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship. The cornerbacks coach is one of 12 coaches that will be taking part in the internship. The other eleven coaches are currently coaching at the collegiate level.
The NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship helps outstanding coaches gain exposure to NFL training camps and offseason workout programs.
The program’s objective is to use NFL clubs’ training camps, offseason workout programs and minicamps to give talented coaches opportunities to observe, participate, gain experience and ultimately gain a full-time NFL coaching position.
Designed as a vocational tool to increase the number of full-time NFL minority coaches, all 32 NFL clubs participate each year. Specific aspects of the program — including hiring, compensation and coaching duties — are administered on a club-by-club basis. The NFL does not mandate any elements of the fellowship to the clubs, but it recommends several best practices, including:
- Hiring participants for the duration of training camp, including all pre-season games.
- Encouraging clubs to hire at least two fellows with an offensive coaching background.
- Mentoring participants in the form of continuing and constructive feedback regarding their work while with the club.
