The NFL’s diversity crisis: Roger Goodell calls to reevaluate approach

Don’t look now, but the NFL might still be struggling with what has been perceived by many as a diversity crisis.

In 2003, the league implemented the “Rooney Rule,” mandating that teams interview at least two external, in-person minority or women candidates for head coach, general manager, and senior operational positions – though the rule has faced criticism for not doing quite enough to ensure equal opportunities for minorities and women in the sport.

Now, after the coaching carousel has closed at the NFL level this offseason and 10 head coach openings resulted in just one minority hire, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league will be taking a closer look at its approach on diversity strategies.

“I think we have become a more diverse league across every platform including coaching, but we still have more work to do,” Goodell said. “There’s got to be more steps. We’re reevaluating everything we do, including the accelerator program and every aspect of our program policies, to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow, not yesterday. We need to be looking at that, and why did we have those results this year?”

Robert Saleh landed a head coaching job with the Titans this offseason, but he was the only minority hire, with no black coaches earning opportunities. It marks the fifth time since the Rooney rule was implemented that no black head coaches were hired during an offseason cycle. Currently, there are just three Black head coaches in the NFL: Demeco Ryans of the Texans, Todd Bowles of the Buccaneers, and Aaron Glenn of the Jets.

“We’re in a competitive league,” Goodell said. “People are challenged, and we had 10 openings this year. Teams are trying to get the coaches they think can win. I think taking the time pressure off of that is one of the things we focused on as a league in the policy to give them that time so that they can make a really good decision that they make independently. But a decision that is based on being able to look at the diversity of candidates. And I think that only benefits the NFL, and the Rooney Rule I think has done that.”

This article originally appeared on Touchdown Wire: The NFL’s diversity crisis: Roger Goodell calls to reevaluate approach

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