OK, the NFL issued a statement in the wake of its most terrible record of diversity in hiring in some years.
In doing so, the National Football League placed a wedge between itself and team owners, in effect pointing to the race problem without including the league office itself.
Here’s the statement just sent to this blogger by NFL Communications boss Greg Aiello:
STATEMENT BY NFL EVP OF HUMAN RESOURCES ROBERT GULLIVER ON HIRING OF HEAD COACHES AND GENERAL MANAGERS
While there has been full compliance with the interview requirements of the Rooney Rule and we wish the new head coaches and general managers much success, the hiring results this year have been unexpected and reflect a disappointing lack of diversity. The Rooney Rule has been a valuable tool in expanding diversity and inclusion in hiring practices, but there is more work to do, especially around increasing and strengthening the pipeline of diverse candidates for head coach and senior football executive positions. We have already started the process of developing a plan for additional steps that will better ensure more diversity and inclusion on a regular basis in our hiring results. We look forward to discussing these steps with our advisers to ensure that our employment, development and equal opportunity programs are both robust and successful.
The statement begs the question: what are the steps that will ensure that our employment, development and equal opportunity programs are both robust and successful?
The only thing this blogger can think of is some kind of fine or punishment the NFL would administer to its member organizations, and only in those cases were obvious racial discrimination can be seen or proven.
Stay tuned.