Many believe that NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has a history of corrupting the league. The recent controversy surrounding player protests and whether or not they are allowed to continue is yet another example of this corruption, as well as players like Colin Kaepernick who have been vilified for kneeling during the anthem while in protest.
Roger Goodell, the commissioner of the National Football League, is a man who has been in the news for all the wrong reasons. He has had to deal with multiple scandals and controversies throughout his career.
Commissioner Roger Goodell stated in a message sent to all NFL teams Saturday morning that the outcomes of the league’s coaching diversity initiatives are “unacceptable.”
The letter, headlined “Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion,” was released four days after the NFL dismissed charges of prejudice in the hiring process made by coach Brian Flores.
According to his complaint filed this week, Flores seeks to “shed a light on the racial injustices that take place within the NFL” after being dismissed by the Miami Dolphins on Jan. 10 despite back-to-back successful seasons.
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Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers is the league’s only active Black head coach.
“Racism and any kind of discrimination are incompatible with the principles of the NFL,” Goodell said. “We have made enormous efforts to encourage diversity and have implemented several rules and initiatives that have resulted in beneficial change in many areas; yet, we must confess that the outcomes have been unsatisfactory, notably in the case of head coaches. All policies, rules, and programs pertaining to diversity, equality, and inclusion will be reevaluated and examined.”
The message also said that “we appreciate Flores’ and others’ concerns” this week.
Flores’ complaint seeks unspecified damages from the NFL, with the goal of increasing Black people’s influence in the recruiting process, objectivity in high-ranking positions, and compensation transparency, among other things. Flores is suing the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and the Miami Dolphins, claiming discrimination throughout the interview process, as well as the Dolphins’ attempts to sabotage Flores’ position. Ross sought to motivate Flores to lose games in 2019 by offering $100,000 incentives for each defeat; Broncos executive John Elway seemed inebriated during a job interview in 2019; and the Giants hired now-head coach Brian Daboll before interviewing Flores, according to Flores. Flores’ assertions have been vigorously refuted by all three clubs.
Flores’ lawyers stated in a statement on Saturday that they “believe this is more of a public relations gimmick than a genuine commitment to reform.”
“Unfortunately, the NFL and other clubs automatically refuted the precise claims put forth in Coach Flores’ 60-page complaint without any inquiry. As a consequence, when we talked to the national press the next day, we made it plain that the NFL should use this class action lawsuit as a chance to make genuine change and face the obvious truth “Douglas H. Wigdor and John Elefterakis, Flores’ lawyers, said in a statement.
“The Commissioner’s statement today seems to be a promising beginning step, but we fear it is more of a public relations tactic than a genuine commitment to reform,” the attorneys concluded. “For far too long, the NFL has operated under the guise of foundations that were meant to defend the rights of Black players and coaches, as well as legal companies and experts who claim to be neutral and independent but are paid for by the NFL. The NFL’s executive offices have been rife with institutional racial prejudice all the time.
“The NFL is now re-enacting the same strategy, which is why this complaint was brought in the first place. We would welcome the opportunity to speak with the Commissioner about actual reform, but he has not sought out to us to initiate such a conversation. In truth, we have not received any communication from the NFL. We feel that, in the absence of such a dialogue followed by impartial and meaningful reform, a court or governmental body should appoint a federal monitor to supervise the NFL, since the NFL cannot police itself.”
While the NFL has worked to enhance the Rooney Rule, which mandates clubs to interview minority applicants and provides draft selections to incentivise minority employment, the numbers continue to decline. Robert Saleh, the head coach of the New York Jets, is the only minority head coach appointed in the previous two cycles (seven last year, five so far this year). There are no Black coaches in this group.
Out of four general manager selections during this cycle, two Black hires were selected: Ryan Poles of the Chicago Bears and Kwasi Adofo-Mensah of the Minnesota Vikings.
“While the legal process [with Flores] continues, we will not wait to reevaluate and change our methods to ensure that they are consistent with our principles and longtime commitment to diversity, equality, and inclusion,” Goodell said. “We acknowledge the importance of understanding the lived experiences of varied members of the NFL family in order to guarantee that everyone has equal access to opportunity and is treated with respect and dignity.”
The league will also look into the matter of game integrity “thoroughly and independently,” with the expectation of complete collaboration. “We have a lot of work ahead of us, and we will grab this chance to become a better, more inclusive league,” Goodell said.
Roger Goodell is the commissioner of the National Football League. He was born on May 29, 1956 in Washington D.C.. He attended Harvard University and played football for them as well. Reference: roger goodell wiki.
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