The NFL has "vowed to apply a new best practice to the hiring process for some coordinator jobs based upon its minority interviewing standard known as the Rooney Rule," according to Mark Maske of the WASHINGTON POST. Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation Chair John Wooten said that the change will not "constitute a formal rule," and the change was "announced by NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell during a meeting Monday." Maske notes the practice will "apply to any team seeking to hire a coordinator but with its head coach already in place." Wooten said that it will not apply to a team with an incoming head coach "needing to fill out a new coaching staff." Wooten also said that Goodell will "instruct owners that any team in such a circumstance should interview at least one minority candidate for a coordinator opening." However, teams "would not face penalties for violating the practice with a coordinator vacancy." Wooten said that he "did not press the league at this point for a formal rule with penalties attached because teams generally have been following the guideline already." He added that the new approach will "take effect immediately" for this upcoming hiring cycle (WASHINGTON POST, 12/22).
