Report: NFL Proposing Incentives for Hiring Minority Head Coaches in New Rooney Rule Changes
The NFL plans to propose multiple resolutions to team owners next week that would incentivize teams to hire more minority candidates as head coaches or general managers, according to NFL.com's Jim Trotter.
The league has received hefty criticism in recent years over the lack of opportunities for minorities to reach these positions. The resolutions to change the Rooney Rule will reportedly be presented at Tuesday's virtual owners' meeting.
Under the incentive proposal, the league would remove the anti-tampering rule that keeps assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator positions with another club, reports Trotter. Having experience as a coordinator is often viewed as necessary for someone to be hired for a head coaching job. Despite this, the Chiefs' Eric Bieniemy and the Buccaneers' Byron Leftwich are the only minority offensive coordinators in the league.
The Rooney Rule—named after former Steelers owner Dan Rooney—was first created in 2003 to ensure minority candidates received equal opportunities when applying for head coaching or front office jobs in the NFL.
In January, Steelers owner Art Rooney II shared the common sentiment that the rule has not impacted the process as much as desired.
"I think where we are right now is not where we want to be, where we need to be," Rooney said.
If a team hires a minority head coach, it would move up six spots in the third round of the NFL draft before the hired coach's second season with the team, under the proposal. The team would also jump up 10 spots in the draft for hiring a minority general manager. According to Trotter, the proposal suggests any club that hires a minority candidate as its quarterbacks coach would receive a compensatory pick at the end of the fourth round if it keeps that coach past one season.
Trotter reports the league office is looking "at further enhancing the Rooney Rule" by doubling the number of minority candidates a team must interview for its head-coaching vacancy.
