Let's see how many think this is racist (it's isn't, just factual). The Wonderlic test has been around for decades, and has been used across many industries and all positions, top-to-bottom. It is a mental aptitude test meant to help employers evaluate whether or not a candidate is likely to be successful or not at their position, and how likely they might be able to grow into higher positions, etc.
The NFL has just stopped using this test because it has been accused of being "racist", not because the questions are somehow designed to favor any race over another, but because the results show the average scores of white draft picks vs black are 27.7 vs 19.7 out of a total possible score of 50.
I'll quickly add here this is for football players scores only. I am no way suggesting this proves any mental superiority/inferiority because of race. I don't believe anyone is born genetically superior/inferior based on race, rather I think it is environmental, somewhat genetic (were one or both parents particularly intelligent?) sometimes cultural (as in whether school attendance & even education is considered a good thing or bad thing), and very often the sad state of public school choices available to low-income, minority communities. I also believe there is plenty of proof the breakdown of the black family unit has caused massive damage.
I bring it up here because, though I do believe the Wonderlic scores in the NFL were quite possibly used inappropriately to justify salary discrepancies that hurt black players more than white beyond what the "job" required...it does appear to show a marked difference in average intelligence of football players. This should not be surprising when one considers a large percentage of low-income minority children grow up in an environment where professional sports is viewed as the most likely option to escape poverty.
So, if it is a fact that on average black football players do score significantly lower on the Wonderlic, though that doesn't seem in general to make much difference in the success/failure of the players, would it not be likely to make a difference for an NFL HC...one of only 32 positions available at any given time, and not at all requiring premium athletic skills?
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For some perspective, the average Wonderlic score for a janitor is 14...for a security guard is 17, a receptionist, clerical worker or cashier is 21. A teacher is 27 ( and isn't a lot of coaching "teaching"?), an executive is 28, engineer 29 & a chemist 31.
All this to suggest, while there are black players who score highly and white players who score very low, the averages matter when one uses percentage of an entire population (in this case total black NFL players vs white) as a way of suggesting racism is at play here. The only way to make a fair analysis, IMO is to narrow the field of candidates by aptitude test results (regardless of race), then one still must consider other, previously-mentioned factors, notably coaching experience. Would most here not assume a certain minimum level of mental aptitude is likely needed to be a successful NFL HC?
Mstateglfr asks, "In a league where 70% of players are black, are there really still not enough ex-players at the college and pro level to warrant more than 1 to 3 black head coaches?" A better question might be, "Of all the players who scored above a 22 (or whatever baseline is reasonable) on the Wonderlic, is a suggestion of racism remotely plausible based on the percentage of qualified candidates?"
