NFL Looks to Enhance ‘Rooney Rule,’ Incentivize Minority Hiring

Getty Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, is one of just four minority head coaches in the NFL.

“Back when the Rooney Rule was passed and put into effect in 2003, there was a period there where we [saw] an increase in minority hiring at the head coaching position,” said Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II during an interview with the NFL Network’s Steve Wyche in January. “Since then that trend seems to have reversed itself, particularly in the last few years. We need to study what’s going on and understand better what’s going on and really decide how we improve the situation.”

Fast-forward four months and it appears the NFL is preparing to vote on a pair of proposed resolutions that aim to strengthen the so-called Rooney Rule, and also incentivize the hiring of minority head coaches and general managers, among other mission-critical positions.

As per NFL.com columnist Jim Trotter, the voting is expected to take place this coming Tuesday during the NFL owners’ virtual meeting, with the following provisions under consideration:

1. If a team hires a minority head coach, that team would move up six spots in the third round of the draft preceding the coach’s second season.
2. If a team hires a minority general manager, that team would jump up ten spots in the third round of the draft preceding the GM’s second season.
3. If a team fills both positions with minority candidates in the same year, that club would move up 16 places, potentially into the second round.
4. In addition, a team’s fourth-round pick would jump five spots in the draft preceding the coach or general manager’s third year, but only if the coach or GM is still with the team, incentivizing owners to avoid firing their coach or GM after just one or two seasons.

Increasing Opportunities to Interview for ‘Bona Fide’ Coordinator Positions

In addition, under the proposed resolution, during the period between the end of the regular season and March 1, teams would be prohibited from denying an assistant coach the opportunity to interview with a new team for a ‘bona fide’ coordinator position—be it on offense, defense or special teams. “Any dispute about the legitimacy of the position would be heard by the commissioner, and his determination would be ‘final, binding and not subject to further review,’” writes Trotter.

Then, if a minority assistant left to become a coordinator, his former team would receive a fifth-round compensatory draft pick. If a person of color left to become a head coach or general manager, his previous employer would receive a third-round compensatory pick. If a team hires a minority to be its quarterbacks coach, that club would receive a fourth-round compensatory pick, assuming it retains said QB coach for more than one season.

Enhancing the Rooney Rule

As for the aforementioned Rooney Rule, Trotter reports that “the league office is also looking at further enhancing the rule by doubling the number of minority candidates a team must interview for head-coaching and general manager vacancies. It also is expected to apply the rule to coordinator positions for the first time.”

As of today, there are only four minority head coaches in the NFL, including Mike Tomlin, head coach of the Steelers. There are only two minority general managers—Chris Grier (Miami) and Andrew Berry (Cleveland). And there are just two minority coordinators on offense, Eric Bieniemy (Kansas City) and Byron Leftwich (Jacksonville), the latter of whom spent three years as a backup QB in Pittsburgh.

In order to pass, the proposals would require a ‘yes’ vote from 24 of the 32 owners.

The Rooney Rule is named after late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who also served as chairman of the NFL’s diversity committee.

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