When it comes to minority hiring, the Pittsburgh Steelers have always been ahead of the curve. The Rooney Rule was the brainchild of former Steelers owner Dan Rooney and since its conception in 2007 has provided a tool for the NFL to find qualified NFL coach candidates from the minority applicants.
Perhaps the best example of getting things right is Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. Pittsburgh hired Tomlin in 2007 and he’s been one of the most consistently successful head coaches in the league ever since.
But Tomlin isn’t happy with the state of minority hiring in the NFL in 2020. And when he spoke to the media he did not sugar coat it.
We just have to be better. Why sugar coat it. There are less than half the minority coaches in the NFL today than there were in 2007. From that perspective, it’s a joke. Right now it’s comical, although it’s not funny.
