![]() ![]() After starting with the Saints working in football operations in 1997, Khan became the Steelers’ football administration coordinator in 2001. That dream went to being in an NFL front office. But he noted once he realized he wasn’t going to be a great athlete, he had to find another way. Khan wanted a path to the NFL even in childhood. It’s kind of ironic that, fast forward, I ended up in Pittsburgh because I’ve been hearing about those guys - Lynn Swann - he loved great players and the great teams, and he knew all about them.” “He’d say let me teach you about this guy named Jack Ham and Jack Lambert, and I used to know everyone on the Saints team, and he used to tell me about this guy Joe Greene and Franco Harris. “When I used to talk about Rickey Jackson and Pat Swilling, Sam Mills, Vaughan Johnson,” Khan continued. Football in this league, in this game has always been the bond that I had with my dad from early on. “Don’t quote me on that. My mom I think was in her 20s and they met in New Orleans and eventually I came around. “My dad probably moved here I think it was late teens,” Khan recalled. It began with his childhood fandom of the Saints, and sharing that love with his father.” “But I’m excited about what the league is doing and the initiatives, commissioner and Art and - there’s some really great things that they’re doing, and I think it’s headed in the right direction.”įor Khan, his love of football started long before his time with the Steelers. “Yeah, I hope we get to the point where we’re not even having those - need to have those conversations,” Khan said when asked about NFL diversity efforts. Part of that had stemmed from the increased reach of the Rooney Rule, which added that NFL teams had to interview at least two candidates who were either people of color and/or women whenever hiring new head coaches, coordinators or general managers. Steelers owner Art Rooney II did note in a February statement that the inclusion of minorities and women in NFL hiring practices for front office positions had improved. In an action-packed week, the ACAW provides invaluable hands-on experience working with clay, terra cotta, glazes, ceramic arts, and architecture’s best contemporary practitioners. Khan’s background makes him the Steelers’ first person of color to hold the position of general manager, and one of eight minority executives to hold a GM position in the NFL. He joins Andrew Berry of the Browns, Martin Mayhew of the Commanders, Chris Grier of the Dolphins, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah of the Vikings, Ryan Poles of the Bears, Terry Fontenot of the Falcons, and Brad Holmes of the Lions. Omar Khan ACAW Organizer Professor and Head, School of Architecture Carnegie Mellon University. They were the first organization to hire a Black coach in Lowell Perry on the cutting edge of recruiting prospects from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in the 70s, the first team to hire Tony Dungy, the first Black head coach to win a Super Bowl hired the second Black head coach to win a Super Bowl in Mike Tomlin, And became the endorsers of the Rooney Rule that sought diversity and inclusion in more league hiring practices. ![]()
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