The Bill Walsh NFL Diversity Coaching Fellowship Program has taken the NFL by storm, but it has always had a uniquely Bengals feel to it.
Walsh began his NFL career in Cincinnati as Bengals founder Paul Brown’s top offensive assistant coach, the wide receivers and quarterbacks coach for the man who broke the pro football color line in 1946. And current Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis became one of the first participants in the late ‘80s before using it every year on as many candidates as he can when he became a head coach in 2003.
“He opens the door,” said Bengals defensive line coach Jacob Burney of Lewis.