The Rooney Rule was created way back in 2003 as a way to get NFL teams to interview at least one ethnic minority candidate when interviewing head coaches.
It was supposed to get minorities more opportunities as head coaches, but franchises have only found a way to get past it by interviewing a candidate, only to interview the next person they actually intend to hire.
The league may have now found yet another way to make that rule work.
It is now being reported that the NFL is debating increasing a team’s draft position if they hire a minority employee, according to NFL Media’s Jim Trotter.
- A team could move up 6 spots in the 3rd-round of the draft for hiring a minority HC
- A team could move up 10 spots in the 3rd-round of the draft for hiring a minority GM
- A team could move up 16 spots in the 3rd-round of the draft for hiring a minority GM and HC in the same year
- A team’s 4th-round pick would move up 5 spots in the draft preceding the coach’s or GM’s third year if he is still with the club.
- If a minority assistant left to become a coordinator elsewhere, his former club would receive a 5th-round compensatory pick.
- If a minority leaves to become a head coach or general manager, his previous team would receive a 3rd-round compensatory pick.
- Any team that hires a minority as its quarterbacks coach would receive a 4th-round compensatory pick if the team retains that employee beyond one season.
Trotter notes that 70 percent of head coach hires over the past three years have come from two positions: quarterbacks coach and offensive coordinator.
The chances of this rule passing are very slim.
