JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Growing up in Jacksonville and playing at the Bolles School, Tee Mitchell dreamed of being on the sidelines wearing the teal and black.
That dream is now a reality as Mitchell is spending the summer coaching the Jaguars defensive backs during training camp.
"Somebody asked me a year ago what I wanted to do I told them my dream job would be to coach for the Jaguars. I never thought this opportunity would come it kind of came out of nowhere and [I'm] just thankful to god and this organization for giving me a chance, it's been a blessing," Mitchell said.
Mitchell is one of eight coaches who were added to the staff as part of the NFL's Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship.
Its goal is to give minorities an opportunity to gain experience and ultimately gain a full-time coaching position.
"To have a minority owner, a minority coordinator, a minority position coach that I'm working for [it's] finding ways to increase that number of qualified guys in the NFL so it's meant a lot for me and my career," Mitchell said.
The program has helped produce several NFL coaches, including defensive coordinator Mike Caldwell.
"That's how it started, I was there with the Eagles coaching with Andy Reid he brought me on as a former player. For a young coach, find out what you don't know and find out if you want to do it," Caldwell said.
"To have someone who's done this fellowship and to see where he is now in the hopes of doing the same thing it's been great," Mitchell said.
Mitchell has spent time coaching in the Division I FCS ranks and with Duke last year. He's hoping this experience can help him land his next coaching job and get him one step closer to hopefully being right back in the NFL full-time.