Rooney Remains Committed to Diversity Efforts, Not Backing Down to Anti-DEI Movement

Yahoo

20-05-2025

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed in February that the NFL will continue its diversity efforts, despite the Trump administration's policies and companies dropping diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
'We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we're going to continue those efforts because we've not only convinced ourselves, I think we've proven to ourselves that it does make the NFL better,' Goodell told reporters at the Super Bowl in New Orleans. 'We're not in this because it's a trend to get into it or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League both on and off the field.'
Advertisement
Despite Goodell's statement that the league is committed to DEI programs, the league canceled the 2025 version of the accelerator program, which puts minority candidates in front of owners during the May meetings. This definitely raised eyebrows, but the NFL issued a statement last week stating that the program was stopped for a year in an effort to make it better next year.
In a interview with Jarrett Bell of USA Today, Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II made it clear he's not backing off on fighting for diversity efforts, despite the anti-DEI movement.
'I realize that people are going to look at [the cancellation of the 2025 accelerator program] and say, 'These people are backing off,'' Rooney told Bell. 'That's not going to happen. There's nothing I can really do about that perception, except to say that we're still not satisfied with where we are, and we recognize that we still have work to do.'
Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II during a press conference to announce the hosting of the 2026 NFL Draft at Acrsiure Stadium on May 24, 2025. — Alan Saunders / Steelers Now
Despite negative publicity, Goodell believes the Rooney Rule is still an effective process for hiring candidates. The Rooney Rule, which was created by the league in 2003, requires clubs to interview minority or female candidates for open head coach, general manager, coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and senior level positions.
Advertisement
'There's no requirement to hire a particular individual on the basis of race or gender,' Goodell said in February. 'It's simply on the basis of looking at a canvas of candidates that reflect our communities and to look at the kind of talent that exists there, and then you make the best decision on who is hired.
'There are no quotas in our system. This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL.'
Former Steelers free safety Ryan Clark thinks the Rooney Rule has become a complete joke. That was made evident with the New England Patriots bringing in Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich for interviews, only to hire Mike Vrabel days later. Hamilton and Leftwich were just used to meet a quota.
'I think this kind of puts a light on the Rooney Rule, which, to me, the New England Patriots made a mockery of,' Clark said on Inside the NFL. 'To interview Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich, two coaches who aren't even in football right now, just to fulfill a quota. The Rooney Rule was put in place, so some of these minority coaches could get opportunities to get in front of some of the executives and some of these owners, that truly were looking to give the job to the best person.
Advertisement
'Now, I want to make it clear: I believe we have moved to a point where organizations will hire the best person they feel for the job. But let's not make coaches, who have worked their entire lives for this opportunity, be the token interview.'
Clark added on X that NFL teams are entitled to hire who they feel is best for the coaching job. He also believes Vrabel is the right person for the job, but the hiring practices need to be fixed by the NFL.
'It's time to create better resume & career building opportunities for minority to combat nepotism,' Clark wrote. 'The entire football world knew Jerod Mayo was fired so Robert Kraft could hire Mike Vrabel. Vrabel is an excellent choice, but the hiring process made a complete mockery of the Rooney Rule. I know it, the Patriots know it, the NFL certainly knows… but more importantly the very coaches it was intended to help know it. I don't believe the Patriots need to change, but the NFL needs to.'
The Rooney Rule was implemented in good faith, but it's been often criticized over the last 20 years. As Clark mentioned, a lot of Black coaches have felt like they were just a token interview or a checking-a-box requirement for owners.
Advertisement
The number of Black head coaches was two when the Rooney Rule was implemented in 2003. There are five Black head coaches heading into the 2025 season — the Steelers' Mike Tomlin, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Todd Bowles, the Houston Texans' DeMeco Ryans, the Atlanta Falcons' Raheem Morris and the New York Jets' Aaron Glenn. The Miami Dolphins' Mike McDaniel identifies as biracial and the Carolina Panthers' Dave Canales is Hispanic.
This article originally appeared on Steelers Now: Rooney Remains Committed to Diversity Efforts, Not Backing Down to Anti-DEI Movement