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Eugene Chung claims NFL team said he’s ‘not the right minority’ in job interview

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VaBeach_Eagle

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Eugene Chung claims NFL team said he’s ‘not the right minority’ in job interview

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Chung did not name the team or the interviewer in the report

By Ryan Dunleavy | New York Post

NFL assistant coach Eugene Chung says he was told Asians are not the "right minority" when he interviewed for a job this past offseason.

Despite a resume that includes 55 games of experience as an NFL offensive tackle – the first Asian American first-round draft pick in history – and 10 seasons as an assistant coach under Super Bowl winners Andy Reid and Doug Pederson, Chung was turned away.

"It was said to me, ‘Well, you’re really not a minority," Chung told The Boston Globe.

Chung is Korean, as are both of his parents.

"I was like, ‘Wait a minute. The last time I checked, when I looked in the mirror and brushed my teeth, I was a minority," Chung said. "So I was like, ‘What do you mean I’m not a minority?’ "

The 51-year-old Chung did not name the team or the interviewer in the report, but he said he was told, "You are not the right minority we’re looking for."

The NFL has expanded the Rooney Rule to promote minority hiring beyond just head coach vacancies, to include front-office and coordinator positions. The rule is not intended to exclusively help black candidates gain opportunities, as it also applies to females, Latinos, Asians and other minority groups. Teams that develop minority candidates who are hired to premium positions are rewarded with extra draft picks.

But Chung felt overlooked during his interview.

"That’s when I realized what the narrative was," Chung said. "I was blown away, emotionally paralyzed for a split second. I asked myself, ‘Did I hear that correctly?'"

He also asked the interviewer to elaborate, according to the report.

"As soon as the backtracking started, I was like, ‘Oh no, no, no, no, no, you said it. Now that it’s out there, let’s talk about it,’ " Chung said. "It was absolutely mind-blowing to me that in 2021 something like that is actually a narrative."

Chung last was an assistant offensive line and tight ends coach for the Eagles in 2019.

"I’m not sitting here bashing the league at all, because there are great mentors and there are great coaches that embrace the difference," Chung said. "It’s just when the Asians don’t fit the narrative, that’s where my stomach churns a little bit."

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/eugene-chung-claims-nfl-team-said-hes-not-the-right-minority-in-job-interview

 

 

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Mike030270 Veteran

Mike030270

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28 minutes ago, VaBeach_Eagle said:

"As soon as the backtracking started, I was like, ‘Oh no, no, no, no, no, you said it. Now that it’s out there, let’s talk about it,’ " Chung said

Curious about what happened after this

Got to assume the league is going to look into it. Curious what team it was and what penalty the league will dish out

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vikas83 Veteran

vikas83

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The only shocking part of this is that the guy was surprised. This is well understood by Asians - we don’t count as minorities. There are tons of firms that are focused on investing in minority run firms, but Asians don’t qualify. Hell, my own brother was told he couldn’t get a job at a large firm because they had to hire a minority or a woman - and Indians don’t count. 
 

Asians - none of that sweet white privilege, but no affirmative action either. 

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TEW Veteran

TEW

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Just now, vikas83 said:

The only shocking part of this is that the guy was surprised. This is well understood by Asians - we don’t count as minorities. There are tons of firms that are focused on investing in minority run firms, but Asians don’t qualify. Hell, my own brother was told he couldn’t get a job at a large firm because they had to hire a minority or a woman - and Indians don’t count. 
 

Asians - none of that sweet white privilege, but no affirmative action either. 

It's your own damn fault for making too many big mac credits per year.

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paco Veteran

paco

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1 hour ago, vikas83 said:

The only shocking part of this is that the guy was surprised. This is well understood by Asians - we don’t count as minorities. There are tons of firms that are focused on investing in minority run firms, but Asians don’t qualify. Hell, my own brother was told he couldn’t get a job at a large firm because they had to hire a minority or a woman - and Indians don’t count. 
 

Asians - none of that sweet white privilege, but no affirmative action either. 

Stop whining. Get woke

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toolg Veteran

toolg

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Chung's story can't be proven unless there is recording of the conversation... But we know there are more than several NFL owners who hold long out-dated, stereotypical views. So I believe it happened.

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greend Starter

greend

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On 5/22/2021 at 9:49 PM, vikas83 said:

The only shocking part of this is that the guy was surprised. This is well understood by Asians - we don’t count as minorities. There are tons of firms that are focused on investing in minority run firms, but Asians don’t qualify. Hell, my own brother was told he couldn’t get a job at a large firm because they had to hire a minority or a woman - and Indians don’t count. 
 

Asians - none of that sweet white privilege, but no affirmative action either. 

You'll always be a minority to me bro

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paco Veteran

paco

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And you know there is no evidence because the NFL never sweeps a controversy under the rug....

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NFL says it can't confirm discrimination allegation by Eugene Chung

The NFL says it cannot confirm Eugene Chung's allegations that a team official made discriminatory comments during his interview for a coaching job.

"After multiple discussions, including with Mr. Chung and his representative, we were unable to confirm the precise statement that was made, or by whom and under what circumstances any such statement was made," the league said in a statement Thursday.

Chung, a 1992 first-round pick by the New England Patriots, played five seasons in the league and served as an assistant coach for a decade.

 

He told The Boston Globe in May that he was told he was "not the right minority" by an interviewer. Chung, who is Korean American, didn't identify the team and told ESPN in May that he wasn't trying to "call anyone out" by publicly revealing who said it.

The league said that such comments "have no place in the NFL or in any contemporary workplace."

"We intend to use this occasion to reinforce the commitment of the NFL and of every NFL club to ensure appropriate interview processes and develop diverse, inclusive, and respectful workforces on and off the field," the league said. "Mr. Chung has offered to assist us moving forward and we welcome the opportunity to speak with him about how we can better advance employment opportunities throughout the League."

Chung most recently was part of the Philadelphia Eagles' coaching staff from 2016 to 2019. He started 30 games at both guard spots for the Patriots in his first two seasons in the NFL in 1992-93 and played one season with the Jacksonville Jaguars and one with the Indianapolis Colts.

He began his coaching career with the Eagles on Andy Reid's staff in 2010 as an assistant offensive line coach. He followed Reid to Kansas City in 2013, then came back to Philadelphia with Doug Pederson in 2016.

 

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