Panthers' Jim Caldwell says he's done seeking out NFL HC jobs

Carolina Panthers senior assistant Jim Caldwell, one of the faces of the NFL in terms of Black head-coaching hires the past few decades, said he doesn't plan to pursue another head-coaching job.

«Right now, the only job that I'm concerned about is the job I do here, right here and now,'' the former Indianapolis Colts and Detroit Lions head coach said on Tuesday. „I'm not worried about the future or anything else. I don't plan on being a head coach from this point forward.''

Caldwell, 68, was fired as the head coach of the Lions after the 2017 season. He has interviewed for more than half a dozen head-coaching jobs since, including the Panthers' and Denver Broncos' openings this season.

Frank Reich hired Caldwell as a senior assistant to report to him on all phases of the game after getting the head-coaching job following Carolina's search that included nine candidates.

“When I didn't get a head-coaching job, I immediately sort of changed the plan in terms of what I was looking for next,'' Caldwell said. „I knew I was at the stage where I wanted to be back in the building somewhere.

“And so, I did have some opportunities to kind of look at, and I was happy when Frank called.''

Of the five teams with head-coaching openings this offseason, only the Houston Texans hired a minority coach — DeMeco Ryans. Only the Texans, Miami Dolphins, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers, Washington Commanders and Tampa Bay Buccaneers currently have minority head coaches among the 32 teams.

Caldwell said he will continue to strive to get more Black head coaches in the league. He just won't be part of that group.

»When you look at the numbers, they speak for themselves,'' he said of the league's track record for hiring Black head coaches.