NFL's Hiring Rules: A Model For Diversity?

'Rooney Rule' Requiring Teams To Interview Minorities Has Tripled The Number Of Black Head Coaches

(CBS)  Like all Super Bowl coaches before them, Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy got to the Super Bowl because they are good. That they are also the first African-American coaches took something else: opportunity from the team owners who hired them.

“There are two different types of systems, in terms of hiring selection in terms of promotions. One is the tap on the shoulder, the good ole boys network. ... then there is another approach,” says Cyrus Mehri, an attorney who specializes in corporate racial discrimination.

Mehri helped develop the other approach — after he and late attorney Johnnie Cochran wrote a scathing report in 2002 about National Football League hiring practices.

It's called the “Rooney Rule” — named for Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney — who helped develop the policy requiring teams to interview at least one minority candidate for every head coaching job, or, face stiff fines.

“That doesn't mean because you interview minority candidates that you have to give them a job, but I think what it does is it exposes you to everyone,” says Herm Edwards, head coach of the Kansas City Chiefs.

Herm Edwards and Tony Dungy were head coaches before the Rooney Rule took effect. Lovie Smith may have benefited from it.

No NFL team will say that the Rooney Rule prompted it to hire a minority coach. But the number of black coaches since the Rooney Rule was instituted has tripled, from two to six.

Now, because of its success on the football field, many think the lessons of the Rooney Rule could be applied to all of corporate America.

“This is an idea that is working,” says Mehri.

Mehri helped Coca-Cola adopt a similar approach to hiring when it faced a $192 million racial discrimination settlement.

“What we are trying to do is address an historic problem with a well thought-out, carefully crafted solution," says Mehri.

Since 2000, the number of minority senior managers at Coca-Cola jumped from 8.4 percent to 21 percent, according to DiversityInc.

And as tomorrow's game shows, having a minority coach — or executive — can be a winning formula. And that may be the best argument for diversity.

[mdc76082]

If Cyrus Mehri is a "specialist" attorney, then I have to ask why does this country still have to "FORCE" whites to at least interview, hire, promote, minorities? Doesn't that put some kind of damper on the minority races themselves? I would hate to be a minority and find out whitey gave me a job and promoted because he had to and not based on my job quals/skills. I seen it in the military where they have to promote a certain percentage of blacks, hispanics, females, etc. To know I was promoted because I was a minority has to be embarassing to say the least. I would be much prouder to be a minority and know I was promoted for my quals/skills, not my skin color. Cyrus Mehri can take it and shove his specialty up his arse! To force whites to "have" to interview at the least is disgraceful, disrespectful and humiliating to any minority. Face it. African Americans and Hispanics, Asians, etc., will never be truely free until Affirmative Action is gone forever. Minorities will always be shackled by lawmakers who promote this kind of nonsense. Minorities should be able to stand-on and stand-up for themselves and be hired by not what laws are out there, but on there skills that contribute to a corporation. I see a strong percentage of minorities have made the grade soley based on their skin color and not their skills. If the laws are in place...you must face fact & truth. You are still a slave because of the system.

[mdc76082]

Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy would have never made it as headcoaches if there hadn't been a "law" or "rule" requiring the NFL to interview at least 1 black candidate, with penalties overhead of white owners if it didn't happen. It's these kind of "laws/rules" that bury the "true meaning" of being FREE. Minorities will never truely be free until these laws are crushed and minorities start standing on their own two feet and say, "We don't need laws/rules to get us hire, we can do it on our skills & merits." Slavery is alive and well as long as the legal system forces whites to hire minorities. Strong arming someone into doing something is a long ways from Freedom. It's not even close to MLK's dream. It's not even a victory. Smith & Dungy would be nothing more than maybe assistants, if it hadn't been for the rule. It a shame that they got where they are based on their skin color. I wish more minorities would get the big picture.

[gwlafayette]

I have never seen much press for the coaches of the superbowl teams until this year. Hooray!! There are black people in sports!! Wow!! What a wonderful story!! I mean, when do you ever see blacks in sports?! Expect a movie of this in a few months. Its not like this superbowl will be decided by the quarterbacks!

[buuya1]

I HAVE COME TO DESPISE MUSLIMS. I WISH THERE WAS A WAY FOR EVERY MUSLIM TO GO AWAY. THERE WILL BE NO BASIC PEACE IN THIS WORLD UNTIL THE MUSLIMS ARE BEATEN BACK!!!!!!
Posted by mbievtea at 11:59 PM : Feb 03, 2007
+ report this coment.

I would like to say to the ignorant person or persons that publish this coment need a real lesson on life. Muslims is just a religion, not a person, and by saying what you said makes you one of the dumbest individuals of 2007. Think positive and not racist of religion. Mik

[bluestardad]

What is up with hiring a person based on the Content of their Character?

[olebd]

Isn't it enough that there are plenty of minority athletes making a very good living?

How about the fact that a lot of these athletes were allowed to skate through college on scholarships and were allowed to pass and get some bogus degree because they were talented on the field?

Why aren't there any women in the NFL as coaches or players?

What does it really take to be a coach? Hire the best person regardless of color.

[whatithink-2009]

Everyone mentions hiring the best person regardless of color and I hope these people who mention it did not vote for GW Bush. Otherwise, you have not practised what you preach. Of all the people in the United States of America, NOBODY can tell me that he is the most qualified. NOBODY!

[vancouverboo]

I don't see any quotas on the field where the big money is. Why don't the players reflect the proportionate racial breakdown of our country?

How are the non-Negroes ever going to get a chance if they are allowed to play?

[mdc76082]

I'm not against hiring minorities, trust me I know by experience. All I am saying it is time for minorities to stop using the crutch that has given them and made them what they are today: "The laws and rules that say whites have to interview, hire, pay you." It's time to stand-up and do it based upon your skills not your color. To me, when laws are passed that say you have to do this for minorities, it's nothing more than saying, "Because of your skin color we have to do this & that so you're hired." That to me is a slap in the face, or you made rank because we had to hire a black, or hispanic, or a woman. I wouldn't want all the money in the world, if I got it based on my skin color, gender, etc. It's meaningless. I would want a white boss to hire me for my industry skills, experience, education, etc. I would want the job based on the above, not because I'm black period and your company has to fill quotas. That's not FREEDOM.

[grrein]

I think the rule should be done away with. If the owner wants to interview the best candidates, he/she should not be forced to interview minorities just because the people say so. If there are no good candidates that are not white, oh well. I am sick of whites getting tramped on because of what happen 50, 100, 200 years ago. I am a white male and I have been harassed and discriminated against since I was a child because I am white. Hate is learned, no taught.I will never hire a minority in my life because of the hate that exist from them towards whites.

[whatithink-2009]

To Vancouverboo,

Non-Negroes? What century are you living in, Jethro?

[whatithink-2009]

To Grrein,

Nepotism is alive and well in our country and many, many white males have been given positions where they were not qualified. The Brown guy from FEMA was a horse trainer if you consider this a qualification for FEMA, for example. I think you should stop whining. If you look at the number of CEOs, the number of managers of most professional sports (who also get paid big bucks but do not have to worry about lifelong injuries), the total number of people who have been president of the United States, etc., etc., etc., you will take comfort that your beloved white males are still disproportionately (based on their precentage of the total population) making up the majority of these positions...and by the way, many are not qualified but friends who give friends a break.

Finally, your last comment:
"I will never hire a minority in my life because of the hate that exist from them towards whites."

Is a reason why these laws are still needed. You have no right to judge anyone, anymore than anyone else. You have stated VERY CLEARLY that even if the minority was the most qualified, you'd NEVER HIRE THEM. Consequently, THANK GOD for these laws that prevent you from being judge, jury and executor.

[vancouverboo]

Preferential hiring, quotas, affirmataive action, minority outreach programs, disadvantaged preferences, and all the rest. Still being used. If OK to use at the University of Michigan Law School, at work for promotions, at initial hiring, for college entrance and for the front office in sports, why not OK to use at the high school, college and professional level for the players? Where's the fairness.
The poor white and oriental boys and girls have been forced to study in their rooms all during the school years while the blacks have been out on the streets having fun doing sports. How about a little fairness now?
lol.
My point is how unfair our system of quotas (by any name) is, and how stupid they sound if you want to use them on the players. They're just as unfair, stupid and counterproductive everywhere else.

End the free rides.

Fairness for all.

It's a tough world out there.

[whatithink-2009]

To Vancouverboo,

Again, you seem to be missing the point, like the others. Also, you ONLY mention things related to minorities...by the way, what is up with the word orientals??? Based on your comments, you have no problem with LEGACY ADMISSIONS, GOOD OLE BOY NETWORKS, HE REMINDS ME OF ME WHEN I WAS YOUNGER HIRES, etc., etc., etc. Do you even realize that we have not gotten to the point in this country where race and *** are not even an issue if someone wants to run for president? And, WHY DIDN'T YOU stand up against Grrein who said he WOULDN'T HIRE ANY MINORITY who never even did anything to him EVEN IF THEY WERE THE MOST QUALIFIED???

You must have your HEAD IN THE SAND if you think every white male who has been hired for anything is always the MOST QUALIFIED for the job. Get a clue!!!

[srs4453]

bravo, take that rooney rule down to the players on the field, court and diamond now!!

what a bunch of bs.

[cfscreamer]

Since the NFL consists of about 75% black players, why don't we have laws to even that to 50%? What about the NBA?

[cfscreamer]

Since the NFL consists of about 75% black players, why don't we have laws to even that to 50%? What about the NBA?