Attorney General James Uthmeier says he’s made some progress in his challenge to the NFL to end the so-called Rooney Rule covering minority job interviewing practices.
But he’s escalating legal action.
Uthmeier said on X that he feels he’s made inroads with the nation’s most popular sports league after he sent a letter to their offices in March demanding the NFL end the Rooney Rule. But Uthmeier is advising that more work needs to be done as he sent an investigative subpoena to the league.
The subpoena was addressed to Ted Ullyot, the Executive Vice President and General Counsel of the NFL.
“We appreciate how quickly the NFL changed its website in response to our letter and capitulated on some of their discriminatory hiring quotas,” Uthmeier said in a post on X highlighting the latest action.
The NFL website used to say the Rooney Rule “promotes diverse leadership.” That language has been changed to describe the rule as an effort to “expand opportunity” to become a leader and to seek candidates “from a wide range of backgrounds,” as ESPN reported.
But in a May 1 letter to the Attorney General, Ullyot said the league does not have stipulations for race in hiring practices.
“Simply put, the NFL does not permit the consideration of race, sex or any other legally protected characteristic in any hiring decisions or employment actions,” Ullyot said. “The Rooney Rule does not compel any hiring or discharge decision, or direct that anyone be ‘discriminated against.’ It operates solely in the interview process.”
But Uthmeier said that’s not enough.
“Their response raises more questions about the Rooney Rule, and we look forward to their cooperation with the investigative subpoena we issued them (Wednesday),” he added on X.
The NFL describes its hiring policy as an effort to increase diversity among its foremost leaders. “The Rooney Rule aims to increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager, and executive positions,” the NFL explained.
The original letter sent to the league in March demanded the policy stop because it violates Florida law. “Professional sports are a visible example of a merit-based system, but through the Rooney Rule, the NFL requires its teams to use race-based hiring practices,” the letter said.
The latest letter addressed to the league said there’s a sense of cooperation, according to Uthmeier. But the NFL hasn’t gone far enough, and he said the league’s stance that the Rooney Rule does not promote hiring quotas is inadequate.
“We are not convinced,” Uthmeier said in his latest letter.
The NFL’s public reaction to Uthmeier’s challenge has been fairly muted.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell in April said the league has no intention of changing the regulation that requires franchises to interview at least two minorities before finalizing hires for head coach and other executive positions. The rule was instituted in 2003 and has undergone several modifications.