NFL To Review Diversity Hiring Practices, Requires All Teams to Include Minority Offensive Coach

In a move to possibly combat former Miami Dolphins head coac, Brian Flores‘ discrimination lawsuit, the National Football League (NFL) is assembling a diversity hiring committee to review its hiring practices.

According to NFL.com, that committee will include business leaders, academics, and former Houston Texans general manager Rick Smith, who will assist in reviewing different league and club policies with regards to ongoing matters pertaining to the lack of diversity in hiring.

The committee members are:

Pamela Carlton, founder and president, Springboard
Peter Harvey, former New Jersey Attorney General; partner, Patterson Belknap
Patricia Brown Holmes, managing partner, Riley Safer Holmes & Cancila
Stefanie K. Johnson, associate professor, University of Colorado Boulder’s Leeds School of Business
Don Thompson, CEO and founder, Cleveland Avenue, LLC, and former president and CEO, McDonald’s Corporation.

“Today, the National Football League announced the creation of the NFL Diversity Advisory Committee, following its pledge last month to retain outside experts to review the league’s diversity policies and practices,” the league said in a written statement.

“The six-member committee will lend its expert, external perspective on industry best practices and will evaluate league and club diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies and initiatives, including all hiring processes, policies, and procedures, with a primary focus on senior-level coach and front office personnel positions.

“After completing this evaluation, the committee will provide comprehensive recommendations to the league office and club ownership for consideration.”

Some new rules have already been approved. All 32 NFL teams will now be required to have a minority coach as an offensive assistant; the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching and senior operation vacancies, is now open to women

The NFL is also thinking about having the teams invite staff members to league events. This idea was brought to the league by Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera. He believes doing so would allow minority candidates to become familiar with decision-makers in more relaxed settings.

The league also stated that there will be other diversity, equity, and inclusion-related changes before the January 2023 hiring cycle.