NEW ORLEANS — In light of President Donald Trump’s executive order to roll back DEI policies, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell faced multiple questions Monday about the league’s intentions for equitable hiring.
During his state of the league address, Goodell doubled down on the NFL’s commitment to inclusive hiring practices, like the Rooney Rule, which the league created in 2003, and which now requires clubs to interview minority or female candidates for open head coach, general manager, coordinator, quarterbacks coach, and senior level positions.
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven to ourselves that it does make the NFL better,” Goodell told reporters. “We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into it or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the national football league both on and off the field.”
The league has made multiple updates to the rule since 2003, based on feedback from clubs and candidates. “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…
