Pittsburgh Steelers coach Mike Tomlin used the unexpected to declare his support for changing the NFL Rooney Rules.
Tomlin spoke Monday with the Kentucky basketball coach “Coffee with Cal” John Calipari.
The NFL is exploring ideas to allow teams that employ minority head coaches or general managers to move up in order for future drafts.
According to ESPN, Tomlin told Calipari, “We always take it from an approach, a penalty if you do not interview minority candidates or things like that. I just like a different approach in turning it around 180 and talking about maybe giving incentives to those who develop talent and those who employ talent. “
The NFL formed Rooney Rule in 2003, which required teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching work. In 2009, the league added the same conditions for senior football operations.
Last week, the Rooney Rules were expanded again, requiring the team to interview at least two external minority candidates for chief training vacancies, and at least one external minority candidate for vacancies in the offensive coordinator, defense coordinator, general manager and senior soccer operations roles.
The NFL made another rule change last week, with the team no longer allowed to block assistant coaches from interviews for coordinator positions. The move is seen as a positive thing for minority candidates who want to gain experience.
The league submitted a resolution that would see the team move up 10 places in the third round of the draft towards the second year under the newly recruited minority GM. For the newly recruited minority head coach, the team will get a six-spot jump in the third round of conscription before the second season.
If a team hires minority head coaches and GMs in the same year, the increase will be 16 places in the third round – potentially into the second round.
Tomlin did not say he agreed with the proposed letter of change, only enthusiasm.
Tomlin joined Los Angeles Chargers Anthony Anthony Lynn, Miami Dolphins ‘Brian Flores and Ron Redskins’ who had just been hired by Washington Rivera as the only head coach of the NFL minority.
“We made some adjustments because we recognize now that the system is broken, that minorities don’t get enough opportunities,” Tomlin told Calipari, according to ESPN. “And we are trying to find ways to stimulate it. … I agree it is debatable about the value placed on incentive plans, but I generally like discussions.”
Last week, Lynn told CBS Radio about the choice incentive plan, “I think sometimes you can do the wrong thing when trying to do the right thing.”
Tony Dungy, the first African-American to win the Super Bowl as head coach, said last week of the draft-pick proposal, “I don’t personally think that’s the right thing to do. … I have never supported people who give awards for doing the right thing. So I think there will be some undesirable consequences. “
Tomlin and Calipari touched on other topics, including the potential for football to be played this fall without fans in the stands because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I’m really interested in emotions [impact] at those important times, and see and feel what that means, “said Tomlin, according to the Lexington Herald-Leader.
Tomlin is not a fan of holding a recent offseason team meeting online.
“You don’t get the feeling you get when you teach someone,” he said, according to the Herald-Leader. “You sit in a room with them, and you feel their body language. [You sense] ‘Yes, that person understands. “
They also turned their attention to the upcoming Kentucky college basketball season, with Calipari telling Tomlin, in the newspaper, “My concern now … is that I have one player who returned from last year.”
Tomlin reportedly laughed, “You like the challenge.”
