Roger Goodell Stands by Rooney Rule as Florida Threat and Diversity Debate Hits NFL Meetings

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that the league is standing by the Rooney Rule, making clear at the close of the annual league meeting in Phoenix that the policy is not going anywhere despite a legal threat from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier. Goodell said the league continues to view the rule as consistent with its values and defended diversity efforts as a net positive for the NFL.

The latest clash came after Uthmeier sent Goodell a letter last week threatening potential civil litigation if the NFL did not eliminate the Rooney Rule. In a video statement released March 25, Uthmeier argued that the policy violates state law and said, “Florida law is clear — hiring decisions cannot be based on race.” Goodell responded Tuesday by drawing a hard line between the league’s hiring initiative and any suggestion that teams are being ordered to hire candidates based on race.

“One thing that doesn’t change is our values, and we believe that diversity has been a benefit to the National Football League,” Goodell said. “We are well aware of the laws and where the laws are changing or evolving. We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those.”

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Goodell also stressed that the rule is not a hiring mandate. Instead, he described it as a tool meant to widen the pool of candidates for major jobs around the league. “It’s intended to try to help, and it’s been used by industries far beyond football and far beyond the United States to help identify candidates, and a diverse set of candidates bring in better talent and give us an opportunity to hire the best talent, ultimately,” Goodell said.

The Rooney Rule was established in 2003 and originally required teams to interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching vacancies. It has since expanded to include general manager and coordinator jobs, along with the quarterback coach position. In 2020, NFL owners also approved a change that awards a team compensatory third round draft picks for two seasons if a minority candidate from that organization is hired away by another team as a head coach or general manager.

Even with those changes, the policy remains under pressure from critics and has continued to face questions about how much it has actually shifted outcomes at the top of the league. Of the 10 NFL head coaching openings this offseason, Robert Saleh was the only minority candidate hired. Saleh, who previously coached the New York Jets, was hired by the Tennessee Titans and is of Lebanese descent. That result gave the debate another fresh round of ammunition at a time when league hiring practices are again under a microscope.

Still, Goodell said the NFL is prepared to engage with Uthmeier or any other lawmakers as the rule continues to evolve. “The clubs make those decisions individually,” Goodell said. “And those are, I think, principles of how we try to get better — bringing the best talent.”

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Goodell’s comments on the Rooney Rule were part of a broader news conference that touched on several major league issues. He said the NFL is moving forward with preparations for the 2026 season whether or not it reaches a new labor deal with the NFL Referees Association. The league is exploring the use of replacement officials while negotiations remain unresolved, and this week owners approved a temporary 2026-only rule that would allow the officiating office in New York to correct “clear and obvious mistakes” if there is a work stoppage. Goodell said the league’s “No. 1 objective” is improving officiating.

He also said the Chicago Bears need to resolve their stadium situation “relatively soon,” noting the age and limitations of Soldier Field, which last underwent major renovations before the 2003 season. Goodell added that the league has not found a violation involving Giants co-owner Steve Tisch after his name appeared in a batch of released emails connected to Jeffrey Epstein, while also saying the NFL will continue to follow the facts. Tisch has not been charged or accused of any crimes.

But the clearest takeaway from Tuesday’s meeting centered on the Rooney Rule. Legal threats are now part of the backdrop, public pressure is not going away, and the hiring results still leave the league open to criticism. Even so, Goodell made clear the NFL is not backing off the policy. At least for now, the fight over the Rooney Rule is heading into another season just like everything else in the league: publicly, loudly and with no shortage of people claiming they have already solved it.

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