{"id":846222,"date":"2026-04-01T03:08:17","date_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:08:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/846222\/"},"modified":"2026-04-01T03:08:17","modified_gmt":"2026-04-01T03:08:17","slug":"nfl-commissioner-roger-goodell-has-no-plans-to-scrap-rooney-rule-despite-florida-ag-pressure","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/846222\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has no plans to scrap Rooney Rule, despite Florida AG pressure"},"content":{"rendered":"

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says he has no plans to end the league\u2019s Rooney Rule despite recent objections from Florida\u2019s attorney general, who wrote that the league\u2019s minority hiring guidelines<\/a> violate Florida state law.<\/p>\n

Goodell \u2014 speaking on Tuesday at the end of the NFL league meetings \u2014 acknowledged the changing political landscape for diversity initiatives in the U.S., but added that he didn\u2019t believe there should be any legal issues with the league\u2019s policy.<\/p>\n

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\u201cThe Rooney Rule has been around a long time,\u201d Goodell said. \u201cWe\u2019ve evolved it, changed it. We\u2019ll continue to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Florida\u2019s Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter<\/a> to Goodell last week saying the league\u2019s 23-year-old Rooney Rule amounts to \u201cblatant race and sex discrimination.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Rooney Rule requires teams to interview at least two minority candidates for head coach, general manager and coordinator positions. At least one minority candidate must be interviewed for the quarterbacks coach position.<\/p>\n

Goodell noted that similar diversity guidelines were used in other industries.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne thing that doesn\u2019t change is our values and we believe in diversity and its benefit to the National Football League,\u201d Goodell said. \u201cWe are well aware of the laws and where the laws are changing and evolving. We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those and we certainly will engage with the Florida AG or anybody else as we have in the past to talk about our policies.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Goodell also expressed support for the NFL Accelerator Program, which is returning in May after a hiatus in 2025. The program is used to promote diversity in leadership roles, and was expanded to include candidates of all backgrounds this year.<\/p>\n

First-year Atlanta Falcons GM Ian Cunningham said Monday that diversity should still be a priority for the league.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust from my position, especially being a Black man, there\u2019s still work to be done,\u201d Cunningham told The Associated Press. \u201cNow that I\u2019m in this position and have this platform, I\u2019m going to be intentional about what we do from a grassroots effort to a director level.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do think it\u2019s important to give people of all races and sexes a chance to be in a position to further their career.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Preparing for replacement refs<\/p>\n

The NFL\u2019s<\/a> competition committee approved a one-year rule for the upcoming season that would allow the replay center in New York to correct \u201cclear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game\u201d in case of a work stoppage involving the NFL Referees Association.<\/p>\n

It was one of multiple rules changes announced Tuesday at the league\u2019s annual meetings.<\/p>\n

The league is moving forward with plans to begin hiring and training replacement officials<\/a> in the next several weeks because negotiations with the referees\u2019 union have been unsuccessful, two people with knowledge of the discussions have told The Associated Press. Both people spoke on condition of anonymity because the conversations are private.<\/p>\n

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The league and the NFL Referees Association have been negotiating a new collective bargaining agreement since the summer of 2024. The current CBA expires May 31<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe negotiations haven\u2019t progressed the way we hoped from a timing standpoint,\u201d Goodell said Tuesday. \u201cWe obviously have obligations to fans and everyone in the National Football League to play. We\u2019ll be prepared to play. We\u2019re taking the appropriate steps to be ready, but we\u2019re also keenly focused on negotiations.\u201d<\/p>\n

The NFL\u2019s last foray into replacement officials<\/a> ended in embarrassment for the league when a botched call and confusion in a prime-time game led to the end of a lockout that marred the first three weeks of the 2012 season.<\/p>\n

More rules changes<\/p>\n

Another rule change approved by owners allows the replay center in New York to consult with on-field officials when considering ejections for both flagrant football acts and non-football acts that weren\u2019t called on the field.<\/p>\n

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The change comes after Pittsburgh receiver DK Metcalf wasn\u2019t ejected from a game at Detroit last season when he got into an altercation with a heckling fan. Because the on-field officials didn\u2019t see when Metcalf swiped at the fan and so didn\u2019t throw a flag, the replay center was unable to eject Metcalf.<\/p>\n

The league did suspend him for two games,<\/a> but he was able to remain in the game at the time.<\/p>\n

There were also three rules that affect kickoffs, including one that permits the kicking team to declare an onside kick at any time during the game, regardless of the score. Previously, only teams that were trailing or tied could attempt an onside kick.<\/p>\n

Tisch update<\/p>\n

Goodell said he has no plans to punish New York Giants co-owner Steve Tisch under the league\u2019s personal conduct policy after Tisch\u2019s name appeared in the Jeffrey Epstein files released by the U.S. Justice Department in January.<\/p>\n

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The NFL said in February that it would look into ties between Tisch and Epstein.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we\u2019ve said, we\u2019re going to follow facts,\u201d Goodell said. \u201cWe have been doing that and we\u2019re very focused on making sure we understand everything that\u2019s out there. We\u2019ve engaged with others to make sure we have that information.\u201d<\/p>\n

The team\u2019s co-owners Steve, Laurie and Jonathan Tisch recently signaled their desire to transfer their shares of the NFL club to their children\u2019s trusts.<\/p>\n

According to a memo, the Tisch siblings would move the remaining 23.1% of the Giants that they still own to the trusts after completing previous transfers in 2023 and \u201924. The memo states, \u201cFollowing the transactions, the sellers will no longer own any interest in the club.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Steve Tisch\u2019s name came up<\/a> more than 400 times in the files. Tisch at the time said he knew Epstein but denied going to his island.<\/p>\n

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