Grambling State, one of the most successful HBCUs in college football, has been under fire for hiring Art Briles as offensive coordinator, giving the disgraced coach a second chance many feel he didn’t deserve. Briles hasn’t coached at the collegiate level since Baylor fired him in 2016, the result of a disturbing sexual assault scandal spanning several years. An investigation revealed Briles not only knew of the allegations against his players, but actively tried to cover them up. Coach Hue Jackson defended the hire Monday, arguing Briles, like everyone on this blue marble we call Earth, should be forgiven for his past mistakes.
“All are deserving of forgiveness and without it, healing can’t begin,” wrote Jackson in a statement released through his charitable foundation. “Redemption follows forgiveness. Going from surviving an experience into thriving through new experiences require a restoration of faith and an opportunity for improvement.”
A former NFL head coach for Oakland and Cleveland (where he famously endured a winless 2017 season), Jackson’s statement was poorly received with critics wondering what steps Briles has taken to warrant forgiveness after leaving Baylor in shambles. Many were also offended by Jackson’s insinuation that Briles, who, by all accounts, did nothing to stop the reprehensible acts of sexual violence committed by his former players, was a victim in the scandal that brought his career to a screeching halt in 2016.
Former NFL quarterback Doug Williams, who coached nine seasons at Grambling, recently told the Washington Post he could not, in good conscience, support his alma mater after allowing Briles a safe haven. Jackson also garnered criticism last month for asserting the Browns hired him to lose on purpose (similar to a claim made by ex-Dolphins coach Brian Flores), then backpedaling in a cringeworthy appearance on ESPN.
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