Packers Defensive Backs/Passing Game Coordinator Jerry Gray and Director of Pro Personnel Richmond Williams will represent the Packers at the NFL's inaugural Coach and Front Office Accelerator on May 23-24 at the Spring League Meeting in Atlanta. The Accelerator will convene more than 60 diverse head coach and general manager prospects from all clubs and the league as well as ownership representation from all 32 clubs.
The program will provide senior women and minority prospects with leadership-development sessions with football-operations experts and facilitators, as well as time spent networking directly with club owners. The effort is designed to continue building a diverse hiring pipeline for future head coach and general manager positions throughout the league.
Each club nominated rising prospects to participate in the two-day Accelerator. In addition to leadership development and sessions on the business of football, attendees will engage in candid discussions on how to take the next step in becoming a coach or front-office executive.
"The NFL is committed to diversity and inclusion and this program is the latest in a series of steps designed to improve our hiring practices," said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. "The program ensures that clubs receive exposure to high performing, up-and-coming NFL talent."
Gray is entering his third season with the Packers and his 26th year coaching in the NFL, including eight seasons as a defensive coordinator (Buffalo, 2001-05; Tennessee, 2011-13). In his 23 NFL seasons as a defensive coordinator or a defensive backs/secondary coach, Gray has helped defenses to top-10 league rankings in scoring defense 10 times, in overall defense 11 times and passing defense 12 times.
Williams is entering his 15th season with the Packers and fourth as director of pro personnel after being elevated to his current position in June 2019. He previously spent two seasons as a pro scout (2017-18) and five seasons as a college scout (2012-16) for the Packers. He also served as the team's National Football Scouting representative to the annual NFL Scouting Combine and authored evaluations of all prospective seniors in the Southwest region.
