Author: Barry Werner
AP professional football writer
Former NFL player and coach Eugene Chung is still waiting to meet with Commissioner Roger Goodell to discuss the anti-Asian comments he said the team made to him during a job interview this year.
Zhong said on the July 26 conference call that the league never told him why it didn’t arrange a meeting with Goodell’s request, nor did it tell him how the NFL investigation was conducted.
Zhong spent some time as a player on five teams and coached for the Eagles and Chiefs, but he was not sure who the coach was telling him that Asian Americans were “not the right minority” in the NFL.
The NFL reviewed the matter and stated that after “multiple discussions” including Zhong and his representatives, the league “cannot confirm the exact statement made, or who and under what circumstances made any such statement.”
But Zhong wants to learn more about the investigation.
“I know some people I have talked to, including the head coach and senior people in the executive office, who don’t know anything about it,” he said.
“I am interested in the presence or absence of anyone. It doesn’t matter. The statement made to me raises a lot of questions on my behalf.
“My goal is to find out whether Asians are considered a minority (NFL). There was reasonable confusion, and it was shocking when the statement was issued. I want to clarify whether Asians are Treated as a minority group. I want to speak out and answer.”
Chung believes that the meeting with Goodall will provide clear information.
“NFL security personnel spoke with my representative and asked to sit down with Mr. Goodell and talk about what I have been talking about,” Zhong added. “The request was rejected. I don’t know why he didn’t sit down with me or have a meeting to discuss the issues at hand.”
The NFL stated on July 26 that it was eager to meet with Zhong.
The alliance said in a statement: “We seized the opportunity to work with Eugene to hear his thoughts on how we can better promote employment opportunities across the alliance, including Asian Americans and all underrepresented groups.” As we have already let him know, we welcome a meeting with him, and there is no time to refuse the request to discuss these important issues with our staff, including the commissioner.”
The NFL added that according to the league’s diversity policy, Asian/Pacific Islanders are a minority.
The 52-year-old Chung is eager to return to his coaching role and wants to clarify the lack of diversity in his sport.
“I’m trying to return to coaching in the NFL, rather than let this comment define my identity as a person or coach,” he said. “I just want to make sure that no one else has to experience this or experience what I have experienced.
“The question at hand is to fix these words and their meanings. Are Asians considered a minority in the recruitment process?
“When this incident came out, I was sharing my experience with others and growing up in this country as an Asian American… as an Asian American player and coach in the league. I want to do it in a positive way. Get to this point and help others.”
In 1992, he was drafted by the New England team in the first round. He also played 55 games for Jacksonville and Indianapolis. Zhong also played for Kansas City and Philadelphia, but never suited their game.
In the 2010-12 season, he served as an offensive assistant coach for the Eagles and transferred to the Chiefs in the 2013-15 season. Zhong returned to Philadelphia from the 2016-19 season and participated in the team’s Super Bowl victory over New England in February 2018.
