According to recent remarks by Roger Goodell, the NFL plans to maintain its diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives despite efforts by former President Donald Trump to eliminate such programs. According to a report by the Washington Post, Goodell stated in a December NFL Owners meeting that the league is not influenced by trends and remains committed to its minority hiring programs and guidelines.

“We didn’t get into this because it was a trend,” Goodell said. “And we’re not getting out of it because it’s a trend. We’re in it because it makes the NFL better. And what it is, is to make sure that we’re attracting the best possible talent into our league and to allow them opportunities to be able to advance. The best people are going into the league. And that’s what’s good for us.”

The NFL has reaffirmed its commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), even as companies like Target, Amazon, Walmart, Meta, McDonald’s, and Ford have announced changes or reductions to their DEI initiatives. These shifts come in the wake of President Trump’s recent executive orders, issued early in his second term, which rolled back DEI initiatives at the federal level and criticized similar efforts in the private sector.

However, the NFL has long focused on initiatives to promote diverse hiring within the league, with the Rooney Rule being one of the most well-known efforts.

The Rooney Rule, introduced in 2003, originated from recommendations by the NFL’s Workplace Diversity Committee, now known as the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Committee. Named after Dan Rooney, the late Pittsburgh Steelers owner and former committee chairman, the rule originally mandated that teams with head coaching vacancies interview at least one diverse candidate before making a hire.

Over time, the rule has been broadened to cover more roles within NFL organizations. In 2022, following the Spring League Meeting, the Rooney Rule was further expanded to include women as part of the minority candidate definition. It also now applies to the quarterback coach position. NFL teams are required to interview at least two minority candidates for head coach, general manager, and coordinator roles, and at least one minority candidate for the quarterback coach position.

They have also developed several programs to promote inclusion, such as the Bill Walsh Diversity Coaching Fellowship and a strong partnership with HBCUs. Through networking opportunities and dedicated events, they aim to spotlight HBCU players and provide pathways to the NFL, including initiatives like the HBCU Legacy Bowl and HBCU Combine.