Seahawks coach Pete Carroll apparently had plenty to say at last week’s NFL Owners Meetings in Palm Beach, voicing his frustration with the league’s diversity problem in no uncertain terms. In a meeting attended by coaches and general managers, Carroll spoke at length about the NFL’s frustrating lack of minority head coaches, railing on teams for making a mockery of the Rooney Rule with sham interviews, appearing to be inclusive while doing precious little to enact real change.
In his 10-minute monologue, Carroll cast blame on owners for maintaining the status quo, continuing to marginalize minority coaches with their outdated world views and resistance to change. “He just went off,” one source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter. “He was saying, you can do anything but until owners get to know these candidates before the actual interviews and understand that they have to hire people who are different than them, it's not going to really change." Owners resented that notion, with Schefter reporting many “weren’t happy” after learning what Carroll had said behind closed doors.
Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores, now a senior defensive assistant for the Pittsburgh Steelers, brought the NFL’s diversity issue to the forefront by filing a lawsuit against the league earlier this year, alleging racial discrimination and unfair hiring practices affording preferential treatment to white candidates. Flores’ lawsuit has already brought about progress with three minority head coaches—Lovie Smith, Mike McDaniel (who identifies as biracial) and Todd Bowles—hired this offseason.
Carroll has also been an outspoken supporter of quarterback-turned-civil-rights activist Colin Kaepernick, advocating for his return after five years spent in NFL purgatory, failing to attract interest, even as a backup or training camp body.
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