PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan)- The Rooney Rule, spearheaded by late Steelers owner Dan Rooney, was first implemented in 2003 to ensure minority candidates received equal opportunities when applying for head coaching or front office jobs in the NFL. Back in January, Art Rooney II said “I think where we are right now is not where we want to be, not where we need to be. We need to take a step back and look at what’s happening with our hiring processes.
"This is, 'Ok, we understand there needs to be more minority hiring at the head coach position and above' and the NFL has stated that as a goal. So that's good. But, tieing draft pick to this is just not the right way to go about it,"said Chris Mack. "Now your tieing the increased diversity at those positions into something that affects on-field production. Your saying, "Well now were going to give you greater resources to draft players and to draft better players, maybe.' Again, these are two completely separate things."
Colin Dunlap agreed and laid out some of other potential consequences.
"I even find the proposal to be offensive if it moves to the voting phase and I'll tell you why. Then it will force teams to be put in one of two categories: for this or against it. Teams will be put on the spot by some groups and some people to say, 'Wait a minute, you didn't vote for this. Why?' To have this even in front of teams to vote doesn't make sense. It divides more than it ever brings them together."
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"There would also be a stigma to it. Then guys would be dubbed 'the minority hire pick.' He needs to last longer in the league than this general manager or this coach and there's just an unfair stigma attached to somebody that they are a pick that is associated with a man of color getting a job in the NFL."
Chris Mack followed that up with, "Let's say they hire a coach of minority status. Is that coach constantly going to be questioned? People may say, 'They wanted to move up a couple of spots in this round or get this extra pick' or whatever the caveat may be. It will constantly call into legitimacy that coach's position."