“We don’t need any more people who are just happy to be there” - NFL analyst calls for benchmarks to ensure updated Rooney Rule’s success

The NFL continues to put measures in place to ensure more fairness in the hiring process when it comes to minority candidates. Most NFL fans are familiar with the Rooney Rule, which calls for every available job to feature an interview with, at least, one minority candidate.

The NFL has taken it a step further in 2022 by enforcing a rule in which each team must now add a minority offensive assistant coach. The logic here is that offensive assistants have been landing more head coaching jobs in recent years.

The Rooney Rule, in general, was thrust into the spotlight recently when Brian Flores claimed in his lawsuit that he was interviewed for several jobs simply so the team could check a box and hire a White coach.

Political commentator Angela Rye tackled that issue on a recent episode of First Take by demanding that the league install a system where minority candidates truly have a chance to rise up the ranks.

"When you're talking about hires, how do you ensure that you're creating an environment where the team and the coaches feel like it's a safe place to be and stay and they're being measured by the same wins and losses as the white coaches? The diversity committee needs to be considering those items, and hopefully, they're not just happy to be there. We don't need any more people who are just happy to be there."

Rye's main point is that she doesn't want people who are just happy to have a position.

NFL has to ensure a competitive process with true upward mobility

So what does Rye mean? Well, she is stressing that those put on these offensive staffs need to be treated the same as their White counterparts. Simply being happy to be there defeats the purpose of the initiative, as it would mean there would not be any criticism for potential unfair treatment.

The true purpose of the rule is to ensure more opportunities for minority candidates. Whether teams take the rule seriously or not is the problem at hand, and why more enhancements are coming in 2022.

If the rule works as it should, one of these new offensive assistants can learn from the best and land a head coaching job in a few years.

---