Rooney Rule is expanded to front office
In an attempt to broaden NFL front office opportunities, commissioner Roger Goodell informed teams Monday that they must interview at least one minority candidate when they have an opening for a general manager.
The mandate came after a recommendation by the NFL's Workplace Diversity Committee, which is headed by Steelers chairman Dan Rooney.
It is an extension of the rule that is named after Rooney and requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate during head-coaching searches. The move was hailed by the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which advocates minority hiring in the NFL and is named after the league's first African-American head coach.
"I am totally, totally gratified that the league has moved to this point," said John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance. "It opens up a new channel of hope and aspirations for guys that may have thought they'd never get that opportunity. This puts us at the same point where we were with the coaches six years ago."
The rule aimed to change the hiring practices regarding head coaches was established in 2003, largely at the behest of Rooney.
The Detroit Lions were fined $200,000 by the NFL in 2003 when they hired Steve Mariucci as their head coach without interviewing any other candidates. When the Steelers had an opening at head coach following Bill Cowher's resignation in 2006, they interviewed two minority candidates — Mike Tomlin, who is black, and Ron Rivera, who is Hispanic. Tomlin, who got the job, became the youngest coach ever to win the Super Bowl in February.
Wooten said the Rooney Rule has had the desired effect when it comes to hiring head coaches. He said the need to broaden it became clear after six general manager positions were filled during the offseason without serious consideration given to minority candidates.
One of seven recent openings was filled by a minority, Martin Mayhew in Detroit.
"As I've told our young guys around the country, in the front office, working behind the scenes in different capacities, to just keep working and preparing yourselves because now the realization of all your dreams can really come true," Wooten said.
There are currently six minority head coaches in the NFL, including Tomlin, and five minorities in top front-office positions.
The Rooney Rule, as it now applies to front office positions, does allow for a few exceptions. Teams are not required to interview a minority candidate if the position of general manager is filled by the team's owner or a member of the owner's family.
The requirement is also not applicable to teams that have a pre-existing deal to fill the vacancy from within the organization, though the contract must be filed with the league in advance of the opening.
The recommendation to extend the Rooney Rule to front offices followed the NFL owners meetings in May. Rooney could not be reached for comment yesterday.
"The discussion at the league meeting identified the strong reasons for taking this step, which in large part simply confirms a recommended practice that clubs have voluntarily embraced," Goodell said in a statement. "The recommendation also recognizes that this process has worked well in the context of head coaches, and that clubs have deservedly received considerable positive recognition for their efforts in this respect."
Extending the rule could be one of Rooney's final contributions as an NFL owner.
Pending confirmation, he will become the United States ambassador to Ireland and step down as Steelers chairman.
Wooten said advancing opportunities for minorities will be a major part of Rooney's legacy.
"I know he doesn't like the Rooney Rule named after him," Wooten said, "but, as I told him, if we named it anything else we would be very, very disrespectful to him because he has been the force behind this."
Positions of authority
The Rooney Rule, established in 2003 to provide more opportunities for minority head-coaching candidates, was expanded Monday to include top front-office positions as well. Here is a look at minorities who are head coaches or general managers in the NFL:
COACHES
Name — Team
Jim Caldwell — Colts
Raheem Morris — Buccaneers
Marvin Lewis — Bengals
Mike Singletary — 49ers
Lovie Smith — Bears
Mike Tomlin — Steelers
GENERAL MANAGERS
Name — Team
Rod Graves — Cardinals
Martin Mayhew — Lions
Ozzie Newsome — Ravens
Jerry Reese — Giants
Rick Smith — Texans
