NFL Stands By Rooney Rule Despite Florida Attorney General’s Threats

Overview

• Commissioner Roger Goodell said this week the league will keep the Rooney Rule and called it a tool to find talent rather than a hiring mandate.
• Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier warned he will enforce state civil-rights law if the league does not suspend the policy and set a formal response deadline.
• The policy requires teams to interview diverse candidates for top coaching and executive jobs and was expanded in 2021 and 2022 to include at least two external minority interviews and women.
• This year’s hiring cycle saw only one minority head coach selected out of 10 openings, underscoring criticism that interviews have not translated into more hires.
• Legal pressure is building as some analysts cite a recent Supreme Court decision to argue the rule could be vulnerable, while Florida’s anti-DEI posture raises the odds of a court fight.