SAN JOSE, Calif. — On the heels of another hiring cycle that lacked diversity, NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said the league must continue to evaluate their systems — while not believing their recent decisions contributed to the trend.
The NFL scheduled an accelerator program for minority coaches last May, with Goodell saying a year ago that the league remained committed to diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives even as the Trump administration discouraged them.
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Three months later, the scheduled program was deemed “postponed.” It has yet to happen.
The hiring cycle that followed featured the hiring of nine white head coaches (the Las Vegas Raiders cannot officially hire Seahawks offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak until after the Super Bowl, but are expected to, per multiple reports) and no Black head coaches. Tennessee Titans head coach Robert Saleh, who previously was at the New York Jets helm, is Lebanese American.
Does Goodell see a connection between the accelerator program’s indefinite postponement and the hiring trend?
“I don’t think so,” he said Monday in his State of the NFL address ahead of Super Bowl LX. “Do I think that had any impact on this hiring schedule? No. But I think long term, it’s something that we want to continue and figure out how do we use that to make sure that people understand the level of talent that’s out there, the extraordinary talent that’s out there, and how to give them the opportunities to continue their careers.
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“And that goes for all the talent across the entire NFL and people that are not in the NFL.”
If Kubiak’s hiring becomes official next week, as expected, 27 of the league’s 32 head coaches will be white. Three will be Black: the Houston Texans’ DeMeco Ryans, the New York Jets’ Aaron Glenn and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Todd Bowles. In addition to Saleh, Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales has Hispanic heritage.
The Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation, which promotes diversity and equality in NFL hiring, issued a statement about the lack of diversity in this year’s cycle.
“That outcome does not reflect the depth, breadth, or quality of talent in today’s coaching pipeline, nor does it represent meaningful progress toward the NFL’s stated commitment to fair and inclusive hiring practices,” the Foundation said in a Monday statement, in part. “Progress is possible when intention is matched with accountability. We stand ready to support and advance that work moving forward.”
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The five minority coaches expected in 2026 are a drop from seven last year and nine in 2024. Two years after seven of the league’s head coaches identified as Black, just three will this year.
In January, the Atlanta Falcons fired Raheem Morris, who is Black, and the Miami Dolphins fired Mike McDaniel, who is biracial with a white mother and Black father. Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, who is Black, resigned after 18 years at the club’s helm.
The NFL player population is historically about 70% Black.
There is increasingly an expectation that any return of the NFL accelerator program would not only include minority candidates. Some advocates for minority hiring like that minority candidates could better network with white candidates if the accelerator programs included both. Others question how effective the league can be in advocating for minority candidates.
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Goodell was asked Monday whether he is “resigned” to the fact he cannot influence hiring trends toward better including qualified minority candidates.
“You know me too well to say I’m resigned to something where I think we need to continue to make progress and I believe that,” he said. “I believe diversity is good for us. I think we have become a more diverse league across every platform, including coaching. But we still have more work to do. There’s got to be more steps. So we’re reevaluating everything we’re doing, including our accelerator program, including every aspect of our policies and our program to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow rather than yesterday.
“We need to be looking at that and say: ‘OK, why did we have the results this year? What is it that we could be doing in training or education?’ And that goes for not just the candidates but also the clubs, and how we can try to continue to increase the opportunities and the outcomes.”
While the NFL mandates inclusion of minority candidates in interview processes, its Rooney Rule policy has led to what some coach and front office candidates have described as sham interviews.
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The Rooney Rule mandates teams conduct at least two in-person interviews with minority and/or female candidates any time they hire a head coach, general manager or coordinator.
Teams must interview at least one diverse candidate before hiring a quarterback coach or senior-level executive.
Goodell defended the legitimacy of the Rooney Rule.
“I think the Rooney Rule has been seen as a positive by our clubs by giving them an opportunity to look at a diverse set of candidates,” Goodell said. “They make the choice ultimately, but I think it has shown them the value of that to look at talent where you might not know it or you may not see it. We’re in a competitive league, people are challenged and we have 10 openings this year. Teams are trying to get the coach that they think can win.
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“A decision that is based on being able to look at a diverse slate of candidates… only benefits the NFL, and the Rooney Rule, I think, has done that.”
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