Research Report on Rooney Rule

Student ID Number: KC45733

Module Code: BD6101

Module Title: Management, Leadership and Change

Assignment Title: Research Report on Rooney Rule

Jalen X. Smith

Table Of Contents

1.0 Abstract                                                                                         3

2.0 Introduction                                                                                 4

3.0 Findings                                                                                         5

3.1 Superior Performances & Accomplishments of the Rooney Rule        5                                                                

3.2 Failures of the Rooney Rule                                                                5

3.3 Improvements to the Rooney Rule                                                        6

3.4 Pipeline Problem in the NFL                                                                7

4.0 Conclusions                                                                                        8

5.0 References                                                                                        9

1.0 Abstract

In 1921 Fredrick Pollard was named the first African-American NFL coach. It then took 68 years until the next African-American head coach Art Shell was hired. At the start of the 2002 NFL season, African-Americans accounted for approximately 67% of the NFL players, but only 6% of the league’s head coaches. Due to the large gap between the participation of African-American players in the NFL and the African-American coaching presence the NFL was pressured into taking steps to allow African-American candidates better chances to get NFL head-coaching roles.

On December 22, 2002, the NFL inaugurated the ‘Rooney Rule’, which states that NFL teams must interview a minority candidate when appointing a new head coaching position. Within four years of the introduction of the rule, the NFL had a record high of seven African-American coaches.

The purpose of the research presented in this report is to evaluate current literature in order to find out if the Rooney Rule had any effect on diversification of NFL head coaches.

The report found that minority coaches in the NFL outperformed their white counterparts in every aspect that was researched. These being African American coaches performed better in their first season of coaching, their season of forced departure, and they performed better on teams that have had tenures of white and black coaches. Due to the Rooney Rule the NFL saw a record high of seven African American head coaches in 2006. Even though the Rooney Rule was the reason behind there being a record high, it is still failing to make progression in the league. Improvements must be made to the Rooney Rule in order for it to be a success in the future. The main issue with the Rooney Rule is that it doesn't address the the problem with the pipeline to becoming a head coach in the NFL.