PALM BEACH, Fla. — In the wake of an offseason coaching cycle mostly bereft of diversity, the NFL announced Monday that it has taken a few more significant steps — if not outright strides — to rectify its maligned hiring practices.
On Monday, the league announced all 32 clubs must employ a female or person of color on its offensive staff in 2022. Additionally, women will be included in all requirements for the Rooney Rule, which now requires teams to interview candidates of color and/or women for all head coach and senior operations vacancies. Zoom interviews will not meet the rule’s guidelines.
The owners also passed a resolution regarding potential ownership groups, indicating “the membership will regard it as a positive and meaningful factor if the group includes diverse individuals who would have a significant equity stake in and involvement with the club.”
A six-person Diversity Advisory Committee also has been created.
“Just know that this is the beginning,” said Jonathan Beane, the NFL’s chief diversity and inclusion officer. “There’s a lot of work to be done and we’re ready to do that. We’re prepared to leave no stone unturned to ensure that we have a strong process and we get results.”
The woman or person of color hired for each team’s offensive staff will receive a one-year contract and work closely with the head coach and offensive staff to gain experience. Clubs will receive reimbursement from a league-wide fund towards the coach’s salary for up to two years.
The measures follow an offseason in which only two candidates of color (Houston’s Lovie Smith and Miami’s Mike McDaniel) were hired for the nine head coaching vacancies. Additionally, former Dolphins coach Brian Flores has filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and three of its teams, alleging racial discrimination.
Overall, the league reported a mild increase (from 35 to 39 percent) in the number of people of color in coaching positions from 2020 to 2021, and a year-over-year net increase in minority general managers (from five to seven), minority assistant general managers (three to six) and minority defensive coordinators (13 to 15).
But the league also noted its diversity numbers were “stagnant” in head coach and special teams coordinator positions, and have “slightly declined” in the offensive coordinator role.
The Bucs have remained a model of diversity throughout Bruce Arians’ tenure, with three Black coordinators and two women serving on the coaching staff.
“In general, I would say that we have been listening to people inside and outside the football community in terms of how we can improve,” Steelers owner Art Rooney II said. “A lot of effort’s being made and we have recognition that while we’ve seen progress in certain fronts, we still have a way to go in other fronts.”
