Roger Goodell has doubled down on the NFL’s stance on diversity within its coaching ranks.
For the second time since President Trump took office in January with the intent to roll back many of the nation’s diversity, equity and inclusion policies, the commissioner has told reporters that the league remains committed to its diversity efforts, including the decades-old Rooney Rule.
While there has been diversity progress within the ranks of quarterback coaches, a reporter at the NFL owners meetings in Palm Beach, Fla., asked Goodell on Tuesday why that hasn’t translated to the offensive coordinator position. There aren’t any Black offensive coordinators in the league.
“That’s a question we ask and one of the things we work with [in] how do we develop coaches that have the experience and have that kind of potential, which, we know they’re out there, and give them that opportunity,” Goodell said. “We have an offensive assistant program. We want to make sure that we’re using those opportunities to be able to develop coaches that could do that.
“We have a lot of great offensive minds in the league, Black, white and young women, too, that are coming into this. There are only so many opportunities so that’s always a challenge.”
Since his Jan. 20 inauguration, Trump has taken a number of steps, including signing multiple executive orders, in an effort to eliminate what he considers to be unfair DEI practices in the government, as well as publicly and privately owned businesses.
The Trump administration has not publicly come after the NFL concerning the Rooney Rule — the 2003 policy that ensures teams will interview minority candidates for head coaching and other senior level jobs — or other practices. The league currently has seven head coaches who are minorities.
“I think I’ve been very clear that we think diversity makes us better, that I think a lot of our policies are designed to give opportunities and develop that talent,” Goodell said. “A lot of our programs are designed in that way. And that we’re fully committed to continuing that work to try to develop better talent and give them that opportunity and make the NFL better ultimately.
“So we’re all in on that. And I think obviously, we’re going to be fully compliant with federal laws. We always have been and we’ll continue to do that. We believe that our policies had a positive effect, but we never said we’re done. We’ve got more work to do, and we’ll do it, and it’s going to make us better.”
Goodell talked to reporters Feb. 3 about how the league might be affected by the changes in the federal government’s attitude toward DEI.
“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,” Goodell said days before Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans. “I think we’ve proven ourselves that it does make the NFL better. So we’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in 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, as I said previously. And we see that. We see how it’s benefited the National Football League.”
He added: “Our policies have been designed to be well within the law, well within the practice. There are no quotas in our system. This is about opening that funnel and bringing the best talent into the NFL. And so we are confident with that. … We also believe we are doing the right thing for the NFL and our policies are consistent with the current administration as well as the last administration.”