Why the NFL's Rooney Rule is failing

#sports

• Why a 20-year effort by the NFL hasn't led to more minorities in top coaching jobs

• The reasons Black coaches don't get NFL head coaching jobs

The Rooney Rule is an NFL diversity policy that requires teams to interview ethnic minority candidates for coaching and front office positions. It was named after Dan Rooney, the late owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers and chairman of the league's Workplace Diversity Committee.

The policy aims to increase the number of minorities hired in leadership roles and to develop a deep, sustainable talent pool at all levels of the organization. The Rooney Rule has undergone several "enhancements" over its lifetime to ensure more equitable hiring practices and greater opportunities for Black and other ethnic-minority candidates.

However, as of 2022, there is only one head coach who is Black among the NFL's 32 teams, which indicates that the Rooney Rule has not been effective enough in promoting diversity.