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Report: NFL has made an additional tweak to Rooney Rule, requiring owners to sit in on interviews

Shalise Manza Young
Columnist

At last month’s NFL winter meetings in Texas, one of the things discussed and enacted was a tweak to the league’s Rooney Rule.

The change reported was the requirement that teams must interview at least one minority candidate from lists provided by the Fritz Pollard Alliance or the league’s career development advisory panel, candidates considered “legitimate” and not just a black or brown face who doesn’t have a chance in order for a team to check off a box.

(Call it the “Mark Davis Rule” after Davis essentially had already hired Jon Gruden as Oakland Raiders coach last year, then did two perfunctory interviews of minority candidates.)

But that wasn’t the only change.

Owner or decision-maker must sit in

Harold Goodwin, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said it was clear at least one team didn’t legitimately consider him a candidate during interviews last year. (AP)
Harold Goodwin, now with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, said it was clear at least one team didn’t legitimately consider him a candidate during interviews last year. (AP)

After Harold Goodwin, hired this past week as assistant head coach and run-game coordinator for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by new head coach Bruce Arians, complained that at least one head coaching interview he had last year wasn’t legitimate, an additional change has been made in an attempt to strengthen the rule.

Goodwin wasn’t the only interviewee to make the same observation.

Via ESPN Buccaneers reporter Jenna Laine, a team’s owner or primary decision maker must be present for an interview, particularly when interviewing a minority candidate.

Goodwin was interviewed for head coaching openings multiple times last year, and he felt two of those were legitimate. But not all of them.

“I will give credit to two owners – [Buffalo Bills‘ Terry] Pegula and [Jacksonville Jaguars‘] Shad Khan,” Goodwin said. “They were actually in the interview. I can’t say that about the others. So those were real interviews. I appreciated that opportunity.”

Arians’ staff makes history

Arians’ staff in Tampa Bay will make history: it’s the first time all three coordinators – offense, defense, and special teams – are black men.

Byron Leftwich, who finished the 2018 season as the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator, will hold the title with the Buccaneers; Todd Bowles, fired as the Jets‘ head coach, will be defensive coordinator, and Keith Armstrong will run special teams.

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