Every year, the week after the NFL regular season ends, there is a ton of coaching movement with firings, hirings and even more firings. Just to keep the job market fair between the races, a rule was created that mandated every team looking to hire a new head coach had to interview at least one minority candidate.
Now, don’t get me wrong, I fully appreciate the rule and the NFL striving to get more minority coaches into the game and giving them more chances to get the top jobs. But, in this case, the Rooney Rule is just plain idiotic.
On Tuesday, the Minnesota Vikings hired interim coach Leslie Frazier to be their head coach next season. On Tuesday, the Dallas Cowboys did not hire interim coach Jason Garrett to be their head coach, although plenty of reports suggested it’s only a matter of time.
What makes those two statements interesting? Well the only reason that Garrett can’t be named coach of the Cowboys yet is because the team hasn’t interviewed a minority candidate.
So because Frazier is black, the Vikings can hire him right away, but the Cowboys have to go through this ridiculous process?
Seriously, what good is it going to do for the league to have someone come in and interview for a job that they have absolutely no chance of getting? Is that really an advance of affirmative action?
I’m all for giving minority candidates a shot at jobs, but when a pointless interview gets in the way of removing an interim tag, it’s just plain stupid.