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The NFL’s Rooney Rule has been stirring conversations and controversy for years, and now it finds itself under scrutiny once again. This time, it’s the state of Florida taking a closer look at the rule, with State Attorney General James Uthmeier stepping into the spotlight.
On Wednesday, Uthmeier announced he had issued an investigative subpoena to the NFL. This move comes amidst ongoing discussions about the 23-year-old rule, which he argues may breach Florida law by enforcing race-based hiring practices. Uthmeier had previously warned of potential legal actions against the league if the rule was not reconsidered.
The subpoena was accompanied by a letter to Ted Ullyot, the NFL’s executive vice president and attorney, signaling a possible escalation in the state’s challenge to the league’s hiring policies. Uthmeier’s concerns center on the rule’s requirement for teams to consider minority candidates in their hiring processes, which he claims could be legally questionable.
The Rooney Rule, originally designed to promote diversity within the NFL, has evolved over time. It now includes mandates for interviewing minority candidates not only for head coaching roles but also for general managers, coordinators, and quarterbacks coaches. Specifically, teams must interview at least two external minority candidates for key positions like head coach and general manager, while at least one must be considered for the quarterbacks coach role.
Despite its intentions, the rule has faced criticism for allegedly leading to superficial interviews that fulfill a requirement rather than genuinely considering diverse candidates for employment. This has sparked a debate about whether the rule effectively promotes diversity or if it simply serves as a box-ticking exercise.
That is one of the elements in the 2022 lawsuit filed by former Dolphins head coach – now Vikings defensive coordinator – Brian Flores, who accused the NFL and three teams of racist hiring practices.
What is the origin of the Rooney Rule?
The rule was named after late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, who was head of the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee at the time, and requires teams to interview diverse candidates (minority or female) for head coach, general manager and coordinator vacancies.
It was designed to increase diversity in leadership by requiring in-person interviews, but it has faced criticism over the years for failing to significantly boost minority hiring.
The Workplace Diversity Committee’s initial focus was on the historically low number of minorities in head coaching positions. The policy originally required every team with a head coaching vacancy to interview at least one diverse candidate before making a new hire.
Over the years, the Rooney Rule has expanded to include a greater number of positions across NFL clubs.
Are women included in the Rooney Rule?
Yes. In 2022, the league expanded the Rooney Rule to include women as a part of the minority candidate definition.
NFL teams can include women as minority candidates for vacancies involving head coach, general manager, coordinators, QBs coach and senior personnel.
Does the NFL reward teams for developing minorities?
Yes. In November 2020, owners approved a proposal rewarding teams who developed minority talent who went on to become general managers or head coaches across the league.
If a team loses a minority executive or coach who has been with the franchise for at least two years to another team, that team receives a third-round compensatory pick for two years. If a team loses both a coach and a personnel member, it receives a third-round compensatory pick for three years.
What are the penalties for violating the Rooney Rule?
The NFL can fine teams in excess of $500,000 for violating the rule. It also can take away draft picks or invalidate a hire.
However, the only punishment on record came in 2003 when Detroit was fined $200,000 for hiring Steve Mariucci before interviewing a minority candidate.
Has the Rooney Rule worked?
The 2006 season was considered a huge breakthrough. There were seven Black head coaches that year, and two of them met in the Super Bowl for the first time ever.
When Tony Dungy’s Indianapolis Colts defeated Lovie Smith’s Chicago Bears in the title game, minority coaches appeared to be the biggest winners. No one could deny Black coaches could do the job as well as their white counterparts.
The number of minority head coaches reached an all-time high in 2024 with nine, a list that included six Black head coaches.
But that number dwindled to five ahead of the 2026 season. Of the record-tying 10 new head coaches hired this offseason, there was only one minority with Robert Saleh, who is of Lebanese descent, getting the job in Tennessee.
Eleven teams, roughly a third of the league, have never had a Black non-interim coach. The list includes Baltimore, Buffalo, Carolina, Dallas, Jacksonville, the Los Angeles Rams, New Orleans, the New York Giants, Seattle, Tennessee and Washington. Three of those teams have had minority coaches: the Panthers (Dave Canales), the Titans (Saleh) and the Commanders (Ron Rivera).
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