Last month, the Minnesota Vikings held their fourth annual diversity summit—undeterred by the NFL’s decision in May to pause its national coach accelerator program until May 2026 ([espn.com][1]). The summit, a three‑day event at the Vikings’ Eagan headquarters, was organized and led by assistant head coach Mike Pettine. Despite the nationwide rollback of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) efforts, Pettine said there was “never any doubt” the Vikings would continue the initiative ([sportsbusinessjournal.com][2]).
The NFL’s accelerator program, established in 2022, connects diverse coaching candidates with team owners and executives during spring meetings. It had already held five events—including at the 2025 scouting combine—but was put on hiatus in May as the league works to combine coaching and front‑office tracks and reimagine the program for improved effectiveness ([espn.com][1]). NFL Chief Administrative Officer Dasha Smith emphasized that the pause isn’t a retreat, but rather a strategic regrouping, with relaunch slated for May 2026 ([startribune.com][3]).
By forging ahead with their localized summit, the Vikings are signaling that DEI efforts can thrive independently, even when league initiatives falter. Pettine, who is white and a former NFL head coach, has been vocal about his motivation to improve diversity in coordinator and head‑coach hires. He expressed hope that other teams would follow suit—even without league backing ([sportsbusinessjournal.com][2]).
NBC Sports applauded the team’s resolve, noting that while the NFL “treaded lightly,” the Vikings “exercised no such discretion” in support of exposure, preparation, and networking for entry‑level NFL participants ([nbcsports.com][4]).
**Bottom line:** As the NFL reorganizes its accelerator program, the Vikings are doubling down on their own approach—proving that meaningful progress in diversity doesn’t have to wait for top‑down leadership.
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