NFL Could Change Rooney Rule System to Incentivize More Minority Hires

The new changes would see teams get draft considerations based on minority hires

Rooney Rule NFL
Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is congratulated by Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins after Pittsburgh's 27-14 win on October 28, 2019.
Joe Sargent/Getty Images

For years, the NFL has struggled with increasing the number of minority hires in coaching and executive positions, even after the introduction of the Rooney Rule requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for any head coach or senior football operations position. Now, according to a CBS report, the league will propose adding draft considerations to the rule in order to incentivize teams to make minority hires.

The changes, which the league will reportedly propose in a virtual owners’ meeting this coming week, will add a handful of complicated draft order changes tied to minority hires. For example, if a team hires a person of color as its quarterbacks coach, the team will receive a compensatory fourth-round pick if the coach stays for at least one season.

The Rooney Rule was introduced in 2003, but has not had the desired effect on the number of minority head coaches in the NFL. There are only such coaches in the league now: Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers, Anthony Lynn of the Los Angeles Chargers, Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins, and Ron Rivera of the Washington Redskins.

The proposal will also double the number of candidates required for every position to two, and would apply the rule to coordinator positions as well. Whether these changes will be enough to improve the level of diversity at the highest ranks of coaching in the NFL remains to be seen, but the reported proposal is, at least, a step in the right direction.

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Read the full story at CBS Sports

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