The NFL has been discussing ways to improve the ways that coaching hires can take place. On Tuesday, the league approved a radical change to the way coaching searches are conducted in the future, per ESPN's Jim Trotter:
BREAKING: NFL owners have voted to approve the resolution that would prevent teams from blocking assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator positions, per sources. This is an important step.
— Jim Trotter (@JimTrotter_NFL) May 19, 2020
In previous years, teams have been able to block their assistant coaches from interviewing for coordinator jobs. However, with the new rule, assistant coaches are no longer able to be prevented from interviewing for vacant jobs available on other teams.
For instance, if an offensive line coach wanted to interview for an open offensive coordinator job he could do so without being blocked by his current team. That is a major step in the right direction for more assistants to get opportunities to be promoted. According to Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer, the NFL also laid out the definition of a coordinator.
And here's the language defining what a "coordinator" is, as it'll be enforced under the new rules. Bottom line, if another team is offering a guy this role, and he doesn't have it with you, you can't block him. pic.twitter.com/KSIQtj5FjE
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) May 19, 2020
In addition to the new rule for assistant coaches, the Rooney Rule has undergone some changes. Above all, teams are now required to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coaching jobs.
Additionally, teams are now required to interview at least one minority candidate at a vacant coordinator job. The new alterations to the Rooney Rule also requires franchises to interview a minority for open front office jobs as well.
Earlier on Tuesday, owners agreed to shelve another proposed change to the Rooney Rule that would provide draft pick compensation for teams that hired minorities in coaching or front office positions.
Clearly, the NFL is attempting to improve the way that coaching searches are conducted around the league. While the changes aren't going to perfect the way coaching searches are handled, it hopefully will allow the NFL to take a step forward in achieving that.
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