For Steelers assistant Austin, a long and mysterious wait
By WILL GRAVES
AP Sports Writer
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh Steelers senior defensive assistant Teryl Austin says the NFL needs to keep finding opportunities for coaches of color. Austin, who is Black, says he has been interviewed for an NFL head coaching vacancy 11 times and has yet to be hired. Austin is one of several Black coaches named in a lawsuit filed by former Miami head coach Brian Flores alleging racist hiring practices in the league. Austin told The Associated Press in October he thinks there’s a chance race played a role in a team’s decision not to hire him but added he believes mechanisms like the Rooney Rule that requires teams to interview diverse candidates for leadership positions is an effective tool.