The NFL will officially amend the Rooney Rule to require more interviews of minority candidates for head coaching and coordinator positions, a source told ESPN’s Dan Graziano, confirming an NFL Network report.
Reacting to a lack of diversity progress in hiring for those jobs, the league will require teams to interview at least two minority candidates from outside the organization for head coach openings. At least one minority candidate must be interviewed for a coordinator spot.
A source told Graziano on Monday that the changes will be discussed Tuesday in a virtual league meeting, but they do not require a vote.
The rule, named after the late Dan Rooney, who owned the Pittsburgh Steelers, was adopted in 2003. It has had some impact, but not recently. During this offseason, only one head coach hired — the Washington Redskins‘ Ron Rivera — was a minority candidate. Only three of the past 20 coaching hires were minorities, and there are currently four black head coaches in the league.
During a Super Bowl week news conference, commissioner Roger Goodell admitted that changes were needed to the rule. Those changes are coming now.
The NFL is also considering improving draft picks for teams that hire minority candidates as head coaches or general managers, sources confirmed to ESPN on Friday.
Under the proposal, a team could improve its third-round draft selection by up to 16 picks — going up 10 spots for hiring a minority candidate as general manager or an equivalent-level position and six spots for hiring a minority head coach.
The proposal, submitted by the league’s diversity committee, is expected to be addressed during Tuesday’s virtual meeting, a league source confirmed. The proposal would need 24 of 32 votes in favor to pass.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.