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The Rooney rule is a policy created by the National Football League (NFL) that requires franchises to interview ethnic-minority aspirants for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. This rule is rooted in affirmative action and has existed since 2003.
Furthermore, the original Rooney rule, coming up in its 20th year in the league, requires that all NFL franchises must interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching positions. It has since been expanded to include other posts and more provisions.
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How effective has the Rooney Rule been?
The Rooney rule has been thoroughly effective in the grand scheme of diversity in the NFL. For instance, the initial results from the rule were laudable, as the percentage of African-American or Black head coaches in the NFL rose from 6% to 22% within three years.
Over the years, the rule has expanded to include numerous positions across NFL franchises. In 2009, the policy was altered to fit general manager jobs and other front-office positions, requiring each franchise to interview at least two external minority candidates.
In November 2020, franchise owners approved a proposal rewarding teams who developed minority talent that went on to become head coaches or GMs across the NFL.
If a franchise lost a coach or minority executive to another team, that team would receive a third-round compensatory pick for two years. If a team lost a coach and a personnel member, it would receive a third-round compensatory pick for three years.
Ahead of the 2019 NFL season, eight franchises had vacancies for the head coach position. Eventually, one of these teams hired a non-white coach, Brian Flores of the Miami Dolphins. Flores lasted three seasons with the franchise before he was fired. On a positive note, all eight teams interviewed various ethnicities for their vacant head coach positions.
By 2020, the league had three African-American head coaches. Heading into the 2022 NFL season, the number of minority head coaches by the league’s definition was six.
They were Mike Tomlin (Pittsburgh Steelers), Lovie Smith (Houston Texans) and Todd Bowles (Tampa Bay Buccaneers), who are African-Americans; Ron Rivera (Washington Commanders) is Hispanic; Mike McDaniel (Miami Dolphins) is multiracial, and Robert Saleh (New York Jets) is a Muslim of Lebanese origin.
That marked a record number of diverse head coaching hires in the National Football League. Who said the rule wasn't working?
Is there a penalty for violating the Rooney rule?
Yes, there is a penalty for violating the NFL's Rooney rule. When the Rooney rule was initially implemented, it was said to come with penalties ranging from fines to a loss of draft picks.
In the two decades since, the Detroit Lions are the only team to receive any punishment, a $200,000 fine and no loss of draft picks.
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