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Robinson Climbed Career Ladder Without NFL's Help

Rule change approved Tuesday means others won't have to stand up for themselves as Titans general manager once did with New England.
David Boclair|
Robinson Climbed Career Ladder Without NFL's Help
Robinson Climbed Career Ladder Without NFL's Help

Jon Robinson did it on his own.

Those who want to follow a similar career path to that of the Tennessee Titans general manager got a little help from the NFL on Tuesday.

Owners approved a change to the league’s anti-tampering rules that makes it easier for assistant coaches and front-office personnel to interview for higher ranking positions with other teams. In short, a team no longer can block an interview request provided the candidate wishes to pursue a “bona fide” career advancement opportunity.

According to SI senior NFL reporter Albert Breer, the impetus for the change came from the New England Patriots’ decision last year to block director of player personnel Nick Caserio from an interview with Houston during the Texans’ search for a general manager.

Caserio’s contract with the Patriots included language that allowed them to deny him the opportunity to interview. The Texans ultimately decided they had no legal recourse and ended their attempt to talk to Caserio.

It is not the only time New England use such a clause in a contract.

From Breer in this week’s MAQB column:

New England wanted to put a similar clause in then-college scouting director Jon Robinson’s contract in 2013, Robinson refused, let his contract run, and went with Bucs GM Jason Licht to Tampa in 2014 as a result. Two years later, he became the Titans GM. So, you can see where avoiding the clause benefitted Robinson, just as agreeing to it hurt Caserio.

Robinson joined the Patriots as an area scout in 2002. Four years later he was promoted to regional scout, then to assistant director of college scouting (2008) and director of college scouting (2009).

Caserio is in his 18th season with New England and has been in his current position for more than 12 years.

The Texans ultimately decided to allow head coach Bill O’Brien to serve as general manager as well.

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David Boclair
DAVID BOCLAIR

David Boclair has covered the Tennessee Titans for multiple news outlets since 1998. He is award-winning journalist who has covered a wide range of topics in Middle Tennessee as well as Dallas-Fort Worth, where he worked for three different newspapers from 1987-96. As a student journalist at Southern Methodist University he covered the NCAA's decision to impose the so-called death penalty on the school's football program.

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