On March 25, 2026, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier wrote to Roger Goodell, Commissioner of the National Football League (the NFL) to “caution” him regarding the NFL’s use of the “Rooney Rule” in hiring. Uthmeier stated that “[a]s applied in Florida, the NFL’s “Rooney Rule,” which governs the hiring of certain team executives and coaches, brazenly violates Florida law. So, too, do the NFL’s related “diversity” initiatives.” Uthmeier further demanded the NFL confirm by May 1, 2026, that it will cease to employ the Rooney Rule or any related hiring practices in the State of Florida or face the possibility of legal action.
First though, what is the Rooney Rule? The NFL provides an overview of the Rooney Rule here and describes it as:
The Rooney Rule is one part of the NFL’s effort to develop a deep, sustainable talent pool at all levels of the organization. The policy promotes diverse leadership among NFL clubs to ensure that promising candidates have the opportunity to prove they have the necessary skills and qualifications to excel.
Through hiring best practices, the Rooney Rule aims to increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager, and executive positions. This diversity enriches the game and creates a more effective, quality organization from top to bottom.
In general, the rule seeks to fix enduring imbalances in NFL coaching and executive hiring by ensuring diverse candidates get fair, in-person interviews. It is not a hiring quota mandate; instead, it aims to increase opportunities and engender a broader search process for these roles. It does so by a variety of methods, including:
· Teams must interview two outside minority/female candidates for head coach or general manager vacancies.
· Teams must interview two minority/female candidates for coordinator positions.
· Teams must interview at least one diverse candidate for quarterback coaching and senior executive roles.
The rule continues to evolve and, under the current presidential administration’s focus on dismantling DEI efforts, has come under greater scrutiny. Utheimer’s letter contends that the hiring practices of the NFL, including the Rooney Rule, “require precisely what Florida law forbids” by calling on teams to “limit, segregate, and classify applicants for certain employment and training opportunities because of race and sex.” The letter stands as part of Florida’s more conservative leaders’ goal to eradicate diversity, equity and inclusion efforts and policies in the state.
The NFL does not appear deterred. The league stated that, though it is always looking to improve its employment policies, it does not anticipate any major changes in response to Utheimer’s letter. Moreover, Pittsburgh Steeler team President Art Rooney II (the son of the namesake of the Rooney Rule) did say the NFL is expected to have “some discussion with the attorney general down there [in Florida] just to make sure he understands what exactly we do.” So, it appears the league will engage with Utheimer in regards to his letter.
