NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has confirmed that the league is cooperating with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier after being issued a subpoena. The subpoena, sent on May 13, seeks to investigate whether the NFL has committed potential civil rights violations related to the Rooney Rule and other employment practices.
Background of the Investigation
Uthmeier’s office is examining the Rooney Rule, which requires NFL teams to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coach, general manager, and coordinator positions, and at least one minority candidate for quarterbacks coach. In a letter to Goodell, Uthmeier described the rule as “blatant race and sex discrimination.”
Subpoena Details
The subpoena orders the league to appear at the attorney general’s office in Tallahassee on June 12 and to produce extensive documents, including all diversity reports, coaching census data, and demographic surveys reflecting the race and sex of coaching staffs from 2017 to the present.
Goodell’s Response
Speaking at league meetings in Orlando, Goodell stated, “I think we have been very clear about our programs, and we obviously evaluate them all the time, not just for how they get better, but also to make sure that they’re consistent with the law. We’re engaging with the Florida attorney general and will continue to. We’ll share everything we’re doing with them. We think it’s certainly within the law, but also something very positive.”
Accelerator Program Under Review
Among the programs being scrutinized is the accelerator program, launched in 2022 as an extension of the Rooney Rule to increase diversity among coaches and front office executives. The program gives participants opportunities to connect with owners and attend sessions to prepare for future interviews. The NFL held its revamped accelerator program on Monday and Tuesday in Orlando after pausing it last May. Notably, nearly half of this year’s participants were white men, and the program now includes non-minority participants.
Goodell emphasized the program’s value: “There are a lot of candidates up there that are diverse, that are getting the opportunity to improve themselves and to get exposure, to get an opportunity. So, the people that are up there are the best of the best and they are a very diverse group, but they are the best of the best. And what we’re trying to do here is to make them even better and to give them opportunities. That’s what I heard is that one, they appreciate the opportunity; two, it was helpful in that.”
Uthmeier had previously threatened possible enforcement actions against the league in March if it did not suspend the Rooney Rule, which has been in place for 23 years. The investigation continues as the NFL maintains its commitment to diversity programs while cooperating with state authorities.
