Pittsburgh Steelers director of pro scouting Sheldon White will attend the NFL front office accelerator program during the league’s December meetings this week.
Over two dozen front office and football operations executives from almost every NFL team will be part of the day-and-a-half-long meeting in Irving, Texas. With the season in full-swing, coaches won’t be able to participate this time around.
The inaugural program, which is part of the effort to increase diverse hirings at top was hosted in May at the Spring League Meeting in Atlanta. Wide receivers coach Frisman Jackson participated in the event for the Steelers.
The program is meant to keep forming a diverse hiring pipeline for future head coach and general manager spots in the NFL. It provides senior women and minority prospects with leadership development sessions with football operations experts and facilitators, along with an opportunity to network with team owners.
Having personnel convene with owners and those who make decisions in the weeks leading up to the hiring cycle could boost the value placed on diversity.
White joined the Steelers this past spring to take charge of personnel in the team’s front office. He served in a number of different posts while in Detroit, starting as a scout in 1997 and later becoming the Lions’ Director of Pro Personnel, Vice President of Pro Personnel, and interim general manager.
White worked in the college game with Michigan State from 2016-20, acting as the executive director of player personnel and recruiting. In 2021, he was a scout for the Washington Commanders.
White’s son, Cody White, is a wide receiver on the Steelers’ roster.