For the second year in a row, Pittsburgh Steelers director of pro scouting Sheldon White will attend the NFL’s Front Office & General Manager accelerator program. The program is aimed toward “qualified personnel people from diverse backgrounds and connecting them with decision-makers at all 32 teams.” CBS Sports’ Jonathan Jones wrote about this year’s accelerator program.
White served as an interim general manager for the Detroit Lions in 2015, so he knows what it’s like to hold one of the highest front-office positions in football. But White appreciated the accelerator program last year as he said it helped him see different viewpoints of NFL operations.
“You’re able to see what happens behind the scenes and see how they’re growing the operation outside of your own little world of personnel. We were able to have some views on what’s going on around the league beyond what’s going on in your area of expertise, with different sessions and those type of things,” White said last year via Steelers.com.
Also attending the accelerator program this year is former Steelers executive Samir Suleiman, who is now the vice president of football administration for the Carolina Panthers. One good thing about these programs is there a lot of personnel who hold different roles, so it does help attendees learn more about all parts of the game, whether it’s personnel or cap-related or whatever someone may want to learn and know more about. Given the different backgrounds and different jobs that all the attendees have, it’s a great way to learn more about the business of the NFL and help connect with higher-ups in the league.
Steelers general manager Omar Khan said that White’s involvement is good for the growth of the accelerator program.
“Sheldon’s participation in NFL’s Front Office & General Manager Accelerator program is certainly valuable to him, but more importantly, I think his involvement furthers the long-term growth of the program,” Khan said via the Steelers’ media relations department. “Sheldon has served in executive roles at multiple franchises in this league, so he brings a unique knowledge and experience-level to the event that maybe other participants still need at this point of their career. He really brings an aptitude on the process that will benefit everyone.”
This is now the fourth time the accelerator program is being held, and this time it’s being held at the NFL league meetings in Irving, Texas, which NFL owners will attend. Owners are the ultimate decision-makers when it comes to an organization, so it’s good for the attendees of the accelerator program to help get connected to some of the most powerful people in football. It’s also a good place for everyone to share advice and knowledge, especially given some of the NFL executives who will be in attendance.
Current Raiders interim general manager Champ Kelly will be in attendance as will former NFL general managers Ray Farmer and Reggie McKenzie. Browns assistant general manager Catherine Raiche will also be attending the program, and many believe she could be the league’s first female general manager.
Overall, it will be a good experience for White and the rest of the attendees, and it’s a good program for the NFL to have to increase diversity in hiring.
