Paul Tagliabue Comments on Performance of Rooney Rule

The NFL established the Rooney Rule, which requires all 32 teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching positions and other high-ranking jobs, under former commissioner Paul Tagliabue. 

Speaking at the 2016 Learfield Intercollegiate Athletics Forum, Tagliabue is not happy with the lack of progress the NFL has made with diversity hires over the last 13 years since the rule was implemented. 

“I don’t think the Rooney Rule has done as much as anyone hoped it would,” Tagliabue said, per Danial Kaplan of SportsBusiness Daily (via Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com). 

Tagliabue expanded his thoughts on how the rule is not working: “What is it, five out of 32 [head coaches]? Everyone feels, I am sure, that it would be nice if there was more talent rising to the top.”

There is actually one more minority head coach in the NFL than Tagliabue thought, but that's hardly a reason to start celebrating. Included in that group are Marvin Lewis of the Cincinnati Bengals, Hue Jackson of the Cleveland Browns, Todd Bowles of the New York Jets, Jim Caldwell of the Detroit Lions, Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ron Rivera of the Carolina Panthers. 

While the Rooney Rule was made with the best intentions, there have been instances in which it has not serving a significant purpose for the minority candidates being interviewed.  

Pro Football Hall of Famer Tony Dungy told ESPN.com's Mike Sando in recent years teams seem to be giving interviews because they have to with no intention of actually hiring the person they are talking to.

"But now it seems like in the last few years, people haven't really done what the rule was designed for," Dungy said. "It has become, 'Just let me talk to a couple minority coaches very quickly so I can go about the business of hiring the person I really want to hire anyway.'"

Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, who interviewed for multiple head coaching jobs last offseason, told Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press in June he felt like two of the four interviews with teams were "legitimate."

The Rooney Rule has given new voices a chance to interview for jobs they otherwise might not have gotten. It's far from a perfect system and one that will hopefully be tweaked to avoid situations like what Dungy and Austin have discussed.