Much like every year at this time, the coaching carousel has begun spinning in the NFL, and with that comes the need for a discussion on the Rooney Rule. The Rooney Rule has been in place since 2003, yet there seems to still be a lot of confusion surrounding it and the NFL diversity policy as a whole.
How does the rule apply to teams searching for head coaches, and when is it not applicable? Let’s take a deeper dive into the rule and how it will affect the team’s coaching searches.
What Is the Rooney Rule
In years prior, the firing of former head coaches Tony Dungy and Dennis Green sparked outrage among many minority coaches throughout NFL circles. A subsequent study showed black head coaches were less likely to be hired and more likely to be fired — despite winning more games — than white coaches. An obvious problem that needed a solution.
This led to former NFL players Kellen Winslow and John Wooten forming a group seeking to correct what they viewed as an injustice across the league. The fruits of this group’s labor led to the Rooney Rule — named after Dan Rooney, the Pittsburgh Steelers owner and former head of the NFL’s diversity policy committee.
The Rooney Rule seeks to give minority candidates a better shot at getting and retaining jobs that they are deserving of and qualified for. To achieve this, the rule states that at least one minority candidate must be interviewed for all head coach openings.
Since the rule’s inception, the frequency of black and minority coaching hires has increased significantly as the rule intended and has created more opportunities for those who may not have gotten a fair chance before.
Does the Rule Work?
In the years since the Rooney Rule was put in place, 20 black or minority coaches have been named to head coach positions. Of those 20, six of them have been given only one season (or less) at the helm. Only Terry Robiskie and Perry Fewell received multiple one-year stints.
The NFL has recently seen a trend toward hiring former offensive coordinators to fill head coach openings. As these positions are filled almost exclusively by white candidates, the Rooney Rule has fallen under heavy criticism. Critics contend that teams interview minority candidates not to give them a shot but to fulfill the rule’s requirement.
While the rule has been put in good faith, the application of it has come under fire as some feel like it may not be enough and further action may be needed to even the playing field.
The Future of the Rooney Rule
To some, including NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell, it’s clear that the Rooney Rule needs an overhaul. In recent seasons, there has been an effort to incentivize teams to hire minority candidates — not only for head coaching positions but coordinator positions as well.
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In May, the NFL diversity policy expanded the requirements to include two interviews with minority candidates for head coaching positions and one such interview for coordinators. Some proposals have even tied selections in the NFL Draft to the hiring process.
The league is simply looking to incentivize organizations to give minority coaches a fairer chance at landing coveted jobs. A chance to get in the room to be interviewed and a chance to prove they belong is all they and the league are hoping for.
The History Behind the Rooney Rule
The NFL has a long, storied tradition, one that is steeped in history and proud moments. The league is more than 100 years old and has become arguably the most popular sport in America, and not far off from being the most popular worldwide as well. Unfortunately, the NFL also has a long history of passing over minority candidates for high-ranking positions when they should not have been.
Fritz Pollard was one of the NFL’s first superstar players. Pollard, along with Bobby Marshall, broke the NFL’s color barrier in 1920. Again, he would break through the color barrier, becoming the league’s first black head coach in 1921. There, he served as a player/coach for the Akron Pros. Pollard would go on to serve as a player and coach in the league until 1926.
Al Davis’ Raiders Steer Progress Pre-Rooney Rule
The NFL would not see another minority head coach for more than 50 years following Pollard joining the ranks.
Tom Flores became the second, taking over for John Madden with the Raiders in the 1979 season. After Flores, it would not be until 1989 that another black man served as head coach in the league, a troublingly long time between opportunities. Art Shell became the second when he was named head coach for — again — the Raiders.
Since Shell’s hiring, several black candidates have achieved the rank of head coach, with many of them serving for many years as coordinators before getting a chance at the top of the ladder. In 2002, two of the league’s most prominent head coaches, Tony Dungy and Dennis Green, were fired. Both coaches had just had winning seasons with their respective teams.
It was this environment that led to the adoption of the Rooney Rule and where we are today as the rule and the league evolve, hoping for more answers and a better way forward.
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