Roger Goodell And Art Rooney Say Rooney Rule Isn’t Going Anywhere Or Undergoing Changes
Florida Attorney General contends Rooney Rule is illegal in his state but NFL doesn’t seem initially willing to budge.
PHOENIX — The lasting viability of the Rooney Rule was a question that hovered over the NFL when its annual meeting opened on Sunday, but by Tuesday evening when the meeting adjourned, both commissioner Roger Goodell and Art Rooney, a namesake for the rule, delivered an answer.
The Rooney Rule isn't going anywhere, both men said.
"No," Goodell said emphatically when asked if the rule would go away anytime soon. "The Rooney Rule has been around a long time. We've evolved it, we've changed it. We'll continue to do that as circumstances warrant."
Would Florida AG Force Changes?
Circumstances could warrant action, at least in Florida, where Attorney General James Uthmeier sent Roger Goodell a letter putting the NFL on notice that he believes "the Rooney Rule and its offshoots are illegal in Florida."
Uthmeier explained in his letter why he believes this is so, and asked the league to inform him that the Rooney Rule would no longer be enforced on Florida's three NFL teams – the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Miami Dolphins and Jacksonville Jaguars.
The league is obviously taking this seriously. It was a subject of discussion among owners, according to Rooney himself.
But the NFL doesn't seem to be headed toward any changes — at least not without there being a legal battle.
Pittsburgh Steelers president Art Rooney II. (Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images)
Art Rooney: No Change To Rule
"I don't anticipate any dramatic changes to the Rooney Rule," Rooney said Wednesday. "We always are looking at our employment policies, and every year we do an analysis of what we're doing, what we can do to improve the situation, but I don't expect any major changes to the Rooney Rule.
"We had a little discussion about the Rooney Rule. There were some questions about it. There was no action taken, just a statement from the Florida Attorney General. So, probably have some conversations with the Attorney General down there just to make sure he understands what exactly we do. It's not a hiring rule. So, I think we're comfortable with where we are.
"I think everybody's in favor of the Rooney Rule. There's no discussion about getting rid of it, that's for sure."
The ball seems to be in Uthmeier's court now.
The NFL, a league whose game measures the taking and ceding of ground, is dug in.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell (via Getty Images)
NFL Will Engage With AG
"One thing that doesn't change is our values," Goodell said. "We believe that diversity has been a benefit to the National Football League. We are well aware of the laws and where the laws are changing or evolving. We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those, and we certainly will engage with the Florida AG or anybody else as we have in the past to talk about our policies and what they are.
"As you know, the Rooney Rule is not a hiring mandate. It is used by industries beyond football and far beyond the United States to help identify candidates and diverse candidates to bring in better talent to give us an opportunity to hire the best talent."