Ravens to make Newsome NFL's only black GM

November 25, 2002

OWINGS MILLS, Maryland (Ticker) - The Baltimore Ravens on Monday will promote Ozzie Newsome to general manager and executive vice president.

A team official said the official announcement will come at a 3 p.m. EST news conference. ESPN reported that Newsome will receive a five-year contract.

The promotion makes Newsome the only African-American in the NFL with general manager as part of his job title. He had the title of senior vice president of football operations for the Ravens since the fall of 2001.

The lack of minorities in high-ranking positions has left the NFL open for criticism. There are only two black head coaches in the league.

In September, high-profile attorney Johnnie Cochran Jr. released a report that criticized the NFL's hiring practice involving black head coaches, and threatened to sue the league.

Newsome, 46, formerly held the title of director of player personnel and was the architect of the club's Super Bowl winning team in 2000. He was named the NFL's Executive of the Year by the Dallas Morning News in 2000.

Enshrined in the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1999 following a stellar 13-year playing career, Newsome held the record for career receptions by a tight end (662) until it was broken by Shannon Sharpe last season.

 

good for Ozzie. There is talk in Alabama about Ozzie becoming the AD.

 

probably part of why he got "promoted", to keep him. A little raise, a little more title, give him his respect.
He's a good football man. Certainly a lot better than Dwight Clark.

But there aren't that many of them. Newsome got a shot because he's smart and he's a name. He did well with it and now he has more power.
There aren't many good front office types from the ranks of players. Dungy, should he want it, could be a GM for someone if he decides not to coach any longer. Sam Mills would be a guy, with his background, who could move over to the office side and do well. Art Shell, who recently moved over to the NFL's offices. But past that I can't think of guys who are deserving. And there certainly must be.

Hard to say. There aren't that many deserving black HC candidates either. Guys like Joe Greene won't ever make coordinator, and you can take Sherm Lewis as a detriment to the idea of HCs. He gets interviews, and he flubs them. He's unprepared, some of my people in GB said he was more into the night life and didn't put work into it, that's why Andy Reid and Mariucci got head coaching jobs and Sherm's not calling plays.

One guy I'd like to see get a pro chance is Charlie Strong. I believe he's due to be hired as a pro DC. I wanted Willingham here in the offseason, and talked about him from about late last October on.

It's hard to say. I think with the recent influx of smart, disciplined black QBs, you'll start seeing more guys be involved with football after their careers are over. Jerry Colquitt did for a while I believe, and it would have been nice to have seen Doug Williams go into the league.

 

I love ozzy...