While the NFL season will go ahead as per schedule in 2020, there are some changes made that will affect teams who part ways with their head coaches or general managers. The league is set to pave the way for minorities by adding a few new amendments to the Rooney Rule in a virtual meeting today. 

NFL all set to institute key changes to the Rooney Rule

Tom Pelissero of the NFL Network explained these changes last evening. He said, “There are several changes here to the Rooney Rule and all these do go into effect immediately following tomorrow’s virtual league meeting.”

“That includes from now on NFL clubs must interview two external minority candidates for any coach opening rather than one in the past. They also must interview one external minority candidate for any senior football ops position or GM job or also. For the first time, clubs must interview any minority candidate for any offensive/defensive or special teams coordinator position. These are all steps that the NFL is hopeful may continue to help open the doors for minorities to take on bigger roles within the NFL and these come in addition to multiple measures that could be voted on as soon as tomorrow.”

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The meeting later today could provide a short in the arm for minority representation in high-level coaching jobs. As per a Jim Trotter tweet, there are just 4/32 NFL teams are headed by minority coaches. This is a 17-year-low and a clear sign of what has been obvious for years. The teams have found a loophole in the rule and managed to meet requirements. 

One of these changes ensures that representation does not end at the interview stage. As per Pelissero, it will “incentivize clubs to hire minority candidates to specific positions.”

Boosted draft picks to be given as incentives to hire minority candidates 

As per Jim Trotter, the proposition is to hand teams a boost in the upcoming draft windows. This is because teams who hire and retain a minority coach in the first season would see their 3rd round pick jump by 6 spots in the coach’s sophomore season. The same pick would rise by 10 places in a GM’s sophomore season. 

This means that hiring a minority GM and a coach in the same season could see teams rise 16 spots in the subsequent draft. By the third season, a 4th round pick will rise by 5 spots. Furthermore, there could even be compensatory picks for those who hire a minority quarterback coach. 

While this will please minorities across the country, it will have its fair share of detractors. These are people who will be on the same boat as Los Angeles Chargers’ head coach Anthony Lynn. He criticizes the move but acknowledges that the NFL needs it. 

He has said, “I think sometimes you can do the wrong thing while trying to do the right thing.”

Will the NFL pass the propositions to help strengthen the Rooney Rule? Or will the teams see it as abandoning merit to hire candidates merely for a better draft?

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