The Raiders are "building the infrastructure" for the Al Davis-Eddie Robinson Leadership Academy, which will "help develop minority coaching and general manager candidates in the NFL," according to Vic Tafur of THE ATHLETIC. Raiders Owner Mark Davis said that there is a "glaring need for something like this," and mentioned that while the Rooney Rule requires teams to interview minority candidates, it is a "pretty empty and not far-reaching rule." Davis has "brought UNLV on board with the project," and the hope is to "have a campus built in Las Vegas and running in less than a year." While the Raiders "could build the campus and handle the coaching aspect," they "turned to UNLV for help with the GM and president legs and the needed business-school education." New UNLV President Dr. Keith Whitfield was "sold on the idea," but he "thinks it will take a year to build up the right curriculum, let alone the physical structure." Tafur noted the Leadership Academy "might have a four-to-six week offseason program for people who aspire to be NFL coaches, general managers or team presidents." Davis said that the academy "will be a 501(c)(3) organization" (THEATHLETIC.com, 10/7).
