How the NFL is bucking the trend of corporations abandoning DEI

[JACK AYLMER]

AT A TIME WHEN MANY COMPANIES ARE BUCKING D-E-I INITIATIVES THE N-FL IS CONTINUING TO EMBRACE THEIRS AS THE LEAGUE PREPARES FOR IT’S BIGGEST EVENT OF THE YEAR.

THE SUPER BOWL.

N-F-L COMMISSIONER ROGER GOODELL DEFENDING THE LEAGUE’S DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS DURING A PRE-SUPER BOWL 59 CONFERENCE MONDAY COVERED BY C-B-S SPORTS.

[ROGER GOODELL]

WE GOT INTO DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EFFORTS BECAUSE WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE RIGHT THING FOR THE NATIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE AND WE’RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO THOSE EFFORTS BECAUSE WE’VE NOT ONLY CONVINCED OURSELVES, I THINK THAT WE’VE PROVEN THAT IT DOES MAKE THE N-F-L BETTER. SO, WE’RE NOT IN THIS BECAUSE IT’S A TREND TO GET IN OR A TREND TO GET OUT OF IT.

[JACK AYLMER]

THE N-F-L HAS D-E-I RULES DATING BACK DECADES.

IN 2003 THE LEAGUE IMPLEMENTED THE ROONEY RULE, NAMED AFTER THE LATE-DAN ROONEY, THE FORMER OWNER OF THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS AND FORMER CHAIRMAN OF THE LEAGUE’S DIVERSITY COMMITTEE.

UNDER THE MANDATE, EACH N-F-L TEAM IS REQUIRED TO INTERVIEW AT LEAST TWO MINORITY CANDIDATES OUTSIDE OF THEIR ORGANIZATIONS TO FILL VACANCIES AT HEAD COACH OR GENERAL MANAGER.

[ROGER GOODELL]

THE ROONEY RULE FOR US. THERE’S NO REQUIREMENT TO HIRE A PARTICULAR INDIVIDUAL ON THE BASIS OF RACE OR GENDER. 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.

[JACK AYLMER]

LAST YEAR THE N-F-L MADE GAINS IN MINORITY HIRES, WHICH SAW THE HIRING OF FOUR MINORITY COACHES AMONG EIGHT VACANCIES.

SO FAR THIS YEAR, ONLY ONE OUT OF SEVEN TEAMS WITH HEAD COACHING VACANCIES HAVE HIRED A MINORITY HEAD COACH, WITH THE NEW YORK JETS PICKING UP FORMER DETROIT LIONS DEFENSE COORDINATOR AARON GLENN.

CRITICS SAY THE N-F-L’S ROONEY RULE REQUIREMENT IS JUST A FORMALITY FOR MANY TEAMS, CLAIMING THE N-F-L ISN’T DOING ENOUGH TO GET QUALIFIED MINORITY CANDIDATES HIRED.

DIVERSITY ADVOCATES POINT TO WHAT THEY BELIEVE IS A RECENT EXAMPLE OF THIS WITH THE JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS.

THE JAGUARS INTERVIEWED A BLACK COACH, RAIDERS DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR PATRICK GRAHAM, AS THEY WERE WORKING TO HIRE LIAM COEN.

THE TEAM ANNOUNCED COEN AS THEIR NEW HEAD COACH THE FOLLOWING DAY.

THE N-F-L’S CHIEF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION OFFICER SAYS THE LEAGUE IS WORKING ON BRINGING MORE TRANSPARENCY TO THE HIRING PROCESS WHILE MAKING SURE TEAMS PERFORM EXTENSIVE SEARCHES WITH A DIVERSE AND LARGE POOL OF CANDIDATES.

THE N-F-L’S PROMISE TO DIVERSIFY THE HIRING PROCESS COMES AS PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HAS SIGNED AN EXECUTIVE ORDER TO END D-E-I PROGRAMS AND COMPANIES LIKE TARGET, AMAZON AND WALMART ARE ABANDONING D-E-I INITIATIVES.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M JACK AYLMER.