Byron Leftwich, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Minority candidates don't receive the same recognition as other coaches in today's NFL, because opportunities are lacking on the offensive side of the ball.
Byron Leftwich is one of only two African-American offensive coordinators (along with the Kansas City Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy) in the league. Leftwich's pedigree aligns perfectly with what many teams want in their next head coach, though; he simply needs more experience.
The 39-year-old former NFL quarterback didn't enter the professional coaching ranks until 2017. Mike McCoy's midseason firing thrust Leftwich into the Arizona Cardinals' offensive coordinator role after a year and a half as a quarterbacks coach.
Bruce Arians hired Leftwich to serve as his coordinator with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Arians is grooming his protege to become an NFL head coach.
"He'll be a head coach early and fast," Arians said after originally hiring Leftwich in Arizona, per NFL.com's Chris Wesseling.
Two years later, Arians brought Leftwich along to call plays and mentor quarterback Jameis Winston. Leftwich's career will turn based on how he handles the 2015 No. 1 overall pick.
"I have to learn him first. I have to learn Jameis. I have to learn how he thinks, how he executes, what he does well, what he maybe doesn't do so well and then I have to get those things better as a whole," Leftwich said, per Pro Football Talk's Charean Williams.
If Winston secures his status as a franchise quarterback by protecting the football and consistently making good decisions, Leftwich will be well on his way toward a head coaching opportunity. If the quarterback falters, his path becomes far more difficult to navigate.
