Buffalo Bills coach Al Holcomb benefits from NFL Coach Accelerator program

Holcomb was one of 27 coaches who participated in the 2024 Coach Accelerator Program May 20-22 during the NFL Spring League Meeting in Nashville, Tennessee.

The goal of the program is to advance diverse coaching candidates through the coaching pipeline. The accelerator program better prepares these candidates for the myriad of issues an NFL head coach may face, while placing candidates directly in front of the offices of all 32 clubs.

Holcomb, 53, began his coaching career at Temple in 1995 as a graduate assistant. He joined the Bills staff in 2023 as a senior defensive assistant.

It was Bills head coach Sean McDermott who asked Holcomb if he would be interested.

“It just showed his confidence in me and his belief in my ability to lead and hopefully take the next step,” Holcomb said.

It was an instant “yes” for Holcomb.

“I wouldn’t say no to the opportunity to have this experience,” he said.

The three-day program was a mix of workshops, meetings and meetings.

There were sessions on media preparation, crisis management and even uniform compliance – all of which ultimately comes down to a head coach. Agent Rich Paul spoke on Opening Day, giving his perspective on the business side of dealing with players, agents and management.

The program also featured a cocktail party that allowed the candidates to chat with the league’s owners in a more organic setting. In the days that followed, candidates such as Holcomb were able to meet with owners or representative members of the front office in small groups — one candidate with sometimes several members of each team. Holcomb said meetings with homeowners groups were “the highlight of the week” for him.

“To get access to NFL property and (for) them, learn who you are and what you do, and philosophically, some of the things that you believe in, in a one-on-one type of environment and that setting has really been valuable and useful for me to move forward in this process,” he said.

These meetings gave him the opportunity to speak about his coaching philosophy directly with different clubs. During these sessions, Holcomb focused on his personal approach of getting to know his players.

“I believe one of my greatest strengths is being able to connect with players and get them to play their best ball while I coach them,” Holcomb said.

Holcomb served as defensive coordinator and assistant head coach. The three-day program reinvigorated his overall goal: to one day become an NFL head coach.

“Actually, being a part of this has only increased my passion, and even more so from a preparation standpoint, trying to prepare myself when the opportunity presents itself,” Holcomb said.

He entered the program with an open mind and hoped to leave with things to improve. Holcomb was successful in that regard, noting how much work lies ahead for a head coach.

“It gives me things to work on – whether it’s throughout the interview process – it gives me things to grow on and think a little outside the box.” Not just the x’s and o’s, the players and that sort of thing. There are other parts of the equation that need to come,” Holcomb said. “The puzzle must all fit together.” And you need to be prepared and have answers to this, how to solve the puzzle.

The NFL has long struggled to ensure the group of 32 coaches is diverse and representative of the league itself. The league has tried to solve this problem in many ways, from the Rooney Rule to the Accelerator program. The accelerator program is now in its fifth iteration and welcomed 26 applicants this year, including entry-level coaches who have primarily college experience on their resumes. There is also a front office acceleration program, the last of which took place in December.

“I think the NFL is constantly trying to improve in all areas, and obviously, in particular, when you talk about coaching and the different coaching cycles that come up every year and then executives, from a front office perspective ,” Holcomb said. “I think they’re trying to put potential candidates in a position to better prepare them.”

He thinks it works.

“I think it’s just continuing to build and develop the game and trying to keep everything in perspective and balanced,” Holcomb said. “Because there are a lot of qualified minority candidates who have been coaching for a very long time.

“And it’s just about being in front of the owners, having the opportunity to show who they are as an individual, as a football coach, as a leader of men, as a ‘teacher – all these things. I think the NFL is doing a great job and trying to move this whole process forward.