Hightower thrilled to attend NFL Coach Accelerator event
Richard Hightower, Bears' defensive passing game coordinator, attended the NFL Coach Accelerator event in Indianapolis. The event was sponsored by the NFL Players Association and designed to help minority coaches develop their skills and prepare for future opportunities in the NFL. Hightower said he learned a lot from the event and is excited to use what he learned to help the Bears' defense this season.
Elizabeth Palmer
Richard Hightower, the Bears' defensive passing game coordinator, was thrilled to attend the NFL Coach Accelerator event, which was held in Indianapolis from May 22-24. The event, which was sponsored by the NFL Players Association, is designed to help minority coaches develop their skills and prepare for future opportunities in the NFL.
"It was an unbelievable experience," Hightower told ChicagoBears.com. "I was very fortunate to have a chance to go to it. There was really a lot of great information. It was a tremendous honor and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."
Hightower said that he learned a lot from the event, including how to better communicate with players, how to develop a game plan, and how to manage a team. He also said that he was impressed by the other coaches who were at the event.
"There were some really great coaches there," Hightower said. "It was a great opportunity to network with them and learn from them."
Hightower said that he is excited to use what he learned at the event to help the Bears' defense this season.
"I'm definitely going to take some of the things I learned back to Chicago and implement them with our defense," Hightower said. "I think it's going to help us be a better defense this year."
The NFL Coach Accelerator event is just one of the many initiatives that the NFL is taking to help minority coaches advance in the league. The NFL has also created the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least two minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operations jobs.
The NFL's efforts to promote diversity in coaching are paying off. In 2022, there were eight minority head coaches in the NFL, the most in league history.
Hightower is one of the many minority coaches who are benefiting from the NFL's efforts to promote diversity. He is a rising star in the coaching ranks, and he is excited about the future.
"I'm just trying to take it one day at a time and continue to work hard," Hightower said. "I'm excited about the future and I'm excited about the opportunity to be a part of the NFL."
