FAMU’s Simmons selected for third annual coaching summit
FAMU athletics
NEW YORK — Willie Simmons, head football coach at FAMU, was selected as a participant for the Third Annual NFL and Black College Hall of Fame Quarterback Coaching Summit, which will take place virtually from June 22-23.
“It is truly an honor to be selected to the NFL/Black College Football Hall of Fame Summit,” Simmons said. “To be a part of a group of such outstanding coaches in this profession is a humbling experience. I look forward to sharing and learning from some of the best in the business!”
The Quarterback Coaching Summit is one of several NFL programs intended to build the coaching and personnel development pipeline and strengthen diversity across the league.
It is in its third year and the program will feature sessions and panels led by NFL owners, current and former NFL coaches, and college football coaches including: Pittsburgh Steelers president and NFL Workplace Diversity Committee chair Art Rooney II, Buffalo Bills president Kim Pegula, Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich, San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh, and Buffalo Bills assistant head coach and defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.
FAMU’s football coach Willie Simmons was invited to participate in the NFL/Black College Football Hall of Fame Summit, beginning next week.
FAMU athletics photo
“The Quarterback Summit brings together the brightest, most innovative and successful offensive minds from around the country,” said Troy Vincent, NFL Executive Vice President of Football Operations. “From professional development to networking to coaching best practices, this summit should leave no doubt about the promising pipeline of championship play callers within the sport of football.”
Sessions will focus on varying topics, including building a coaching staff, quarterback position fundamentals, and other best practices for career advancement. Attendees will also have an opportunity to hear from and network with members of the NFL’s Workplace Diversity Committee. New this year, past NFL Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship participants were also invited to attend, continuing pipeline candidate’s relationship with the league.
“We are excited to continue this partnership with the National Football League as qualified coaches and executives come together to advance their careers,” said Doug Williams, co-founder of the Black College Football Hall of Fame (BCFHOF).
The 2019 Quarterback Coaching Summit was hosted at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Ga. In its first year as an NFL co-sponsored event, the Summit connected three dozen participants with NFL club coaches and executives to help identify and develop more diverse candidates for offensive coaching positions.
The league will also host virtual development programs for past and current Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship and Nunn-Wooten Scouting Fellowship participants. Beginning on June 25 and running through the end of August, a series of online education sessions for aspiring coaches and professional scouts will be offered.
