If anyone has an appreciation for the long winding road the Cincinnati Bengals have taken to their first Super Bowl in 33 years, it is Andrew Whitworth.

(AP Photo)The NFL expanded the Rooney Rule to give more minority candidates opportunities to become a head coach and reward teams who develop them. The Houston Texans hired David Culley this week, making the 65-year-old longtime assistant the league’s third Black head coach hired. Culley and Saleh join Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin, Miami’s Brian Flores and Washington’s Ron Rivera as the league’s only minority head coaches. “We didn’t make as much progress on the head coaching side as we would have liked,” Rooney said. AdPerhaps an increase in minority executives will lead to more minority head coaches.

FILE - This is an Aug. 17, 2020, file photo showing David Culley of the Baltimore Ravens NFL football team. David Culley has been hired as the coach of the Houston Texans, a person familiar with the hiring told The Associated Press. (AP Photo)HOUSTON – David Culley became the coach of the Houston Texans believing Deshaun Watson would be his quarterback. “We have added a very well respected and experienced member to our Texans' family in our new head coach, David Culley," McNair said. The 65-year-old Culley becomes the fourth coach in Texans history, replacing Bill O’Brien, who was fired after the team opened the season 0-4.

Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson speaks during a news conference following an NFL divisional playoff football game against the Kansas City Chiefs in Kansas City, Mo., Sunday, Jan. 12, 2020. Star quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a trade from the Houston Texans, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga, File)HOUSTON – Star quarterback Deshaun Watson has requested a trade from the Houston Texans, a person familiar with the move told The Associated Press. The same source who told The AP about the trade request said Watson made the request before Culley’s hire. Ad___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

(AP Photo/Eric Christian Smith)HOUSTON – David Culley has been hired as the coach of the Houston Texans, a person familiar with the hiring told The Associated Press. It will be the first head coaching job for the 65-year-old Culley, who has worked as an assistant for the Baltimore Ravens since 2019. He becomes the fourth coach in Texans history, replacing Bill O’Brien, who was fired after the team opened the season 0-4. Culley has worked as an NFL assistant since 1994, also spending time with Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Kansas City and Buffalo. ___More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/NFL and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL

FILE - San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh is shown during an NFL football game against Arizona Cardinals, in Santa Clara, Calif., in this Sept. 13, 2020, file photo. The search for a new coach continues for the New York Jets after they completed an in-person interview with San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh on Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2021, without apparently reaching a deal. (AP Photo/Tony Avelar, File)NEW YORK – The New York Jets were searching for a leader, someone who could bring a frustrated, playoff-starved franchise back to respectability. The Jets reached an agreement in principle with the popular and energetic San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Thursday night to hire him as their head coach. The 20th coach in franchise history, Saleh beat out Smith, Kansas City offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy, Carolina offensive coordinator Joe Brady, Buffalo offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, Indianapolis defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus, New Orleans defensive backs coach Aaron Glenn, former Cincinnati coach Marvin Lewis, and Los Angeles Rams defensive coordinator Brandon Staley.

Taylor returned the opening kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown and Arizona State scored twice in the opening 56 seconds to rout rival Arizona 70-7 Friday night. “I’ve never been part of a game like that in my life,” Arizona State co-defensive coordinator Marvin Lewis said. Arizona State lost the previous two games it played on last-minute TDs and three more to COVID-19 issues. Arizona State led 42-7 at halftime — most first-half points in Territorial Cup history — despite being outgained 260-241 in total yards. He is 9-20 and has not beaten Arizona State in three seasons in the desert, but also has a large buyout.