"We coach ball, we don't look at color"

One reporter asked Bowles about how he and Tomlin are “two of the few black head coaches in the league,” what their relationship was like, and about the interim head coach for the Carolina Panthers Steve Wilks “joining that fold.”

“I have a very good relationship with Tomlin,” Bowles replied. “We don’t look at what color we are when we coach against each other. We just know each other. I have a lot of very good white friends that coach in this league as well.”

“And I don’t think it’s a big deal,” he added. “As far as us coaching against each other, I think it’s normal … and we coach ball. We don’t look at color.”

Another reporter then jumped in and appeared to scold the coach for not giving the woke response desired, and reminded him that “you also understand that representation matters, too, right?”