NFL defends Rooney Rule legality amid Florida AG subpoena, updates to language

Florida attorney general James Uthmeier, who sent a letter to the NFL in March threatening legal action if the league didn’t abolish the Rooney Rule, said May 13 he has issued an investigative subpoena to the league regarding the rule and other initiatives.

In a social media post that accompanied by a letter, Uthmeier noted the NFL “capitulated on some of their discriminatory hiring quotas” but said the league’s response “raises more questions about the Rooney Rule,” which was originally established in 2003 to increase diversity candidates for coaching and management positions in the league.

What is the Rooney Rule?

Per the rule, NFL franchises must interview at least two minority candidates in person for available general manager or head coach roles. These interviews can either be in-person or virtual. Teams must also interview at least two external minority candidates for coordinator roles. For senior-level positions such as executives or club president roles, at least one minority candidate must be interviewed.

In 2022, the Rooney Rule expanded to include women as minority candidates and the quarterbacks coach position as one that falls under the requirements.

“All in all, the Rooney Rule and the NFL’s related 'inclusive hiring' policies — and the NFL’s representations about these policies — continue to raise significant concerns under Florida law,” Uthmeier wrote in the letter.

The Rooney Rule has come under fire in recent years by both proponents and detractors. Out of the 10 head coaching jobs available during the 2026 hiring cycle, Robert Saleh, hired by the Tennessee Titans, was the only minority hire. There are just three Black head coaches in the NFL.

What changes NFL made to Rooney Rule website entry

The league acknowledged it updated language related to the Rooney Rule on its website in a letter to Uthmeier dated May 1, which was obtained by USA TODAY Sports.

“The Rooney Rule establishes best practices designed to expand opportunity and strengthen the NFL’s talent pipeline across leadership roles. It is part of a broader effort to develop a deep and sustainable talent pipeline across all levels of the NFL,” the NFL website says.. “The policy is intended to ensure that qualified candidates from a wide range of backgrounds are identified and considered for leadership roles.”

The NFL’s site previously stated the Rooney Rule promotes “diverse leadership among NFL clubs” and aims to “increase the number of minorities hired in head coach, general manager and executive positions.”

Ullyot's letter said Uthmeier “brought to our attention some outdated information on the NFL’s website” and went on to disclose the NFL is in the process updating the information.

“Thank you for your letter of March 25, 2026, regarding the Rooney Rule and other National Football League initiatives,” Ullyot wrote. “In this response, we explain why the NFL’s policies and programs are consistent with both Florida and federal law, and we clarify certain information raised in your letter about our programs. Simply put, the NFL does not permit the consideration of race, sex, or any other legally protected characteristic in any hiring decisions or employment actions.”

Goodell, NFL defend Rooney Rule: What they said

Ullyot’s memo on behalf of the NFL to Uthmeier came after NFL commissioner Roger Goodell’s defense of the Rooney Rule at the NFL owners meeting.

“Well, one thing that doesn't change is our values. We believe diversity has been a benefit to the National Football League. We are well aware of the laws,” Goodell said in March. “We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those.

“We certainly will engage with the Florida AG or anybody else, as we have in the past, to talk about our policies and what they are. The Rooney Rule is not that hiring mandate. It's intended to try to help, and it's been used by industries far beyond football, far beyond the United States, to help identify candidates and a diverse set of candidates bringing better talent and give us an opportunity to hire the best talent, ultimately.”

The league's letter to Uthmeier reiterated this stance.

"The NFL’s pursuit of top-tier talent led to the adoption of the Rooney Rule in 2003," Ullyot wrote. "Importantly, the Rooney Rule does not impose any hiring quotas or mandates, and it does not license clubs to consider race or sex in making hiring decisions. Hiring decisions for NFL teams are made by the individual clubs—not the League—and those decisions are based on merit. The Rooney Rule neither requires, nor permits, any team to make a hiring decision on the basis of race, sex, or any other protected characteristic. To do so would be an express violation of League policy."

Uthmeier's May 13 response said that neither the NFL's letter nor the changes to its website "assuage our concerns over the NFL's violation of Florida law." In a message accompanying the letter, Uthmeier said he looked forward to the NFL's "cooperation with the investigative subpoena we issued to them today."

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL subpoenaed by Florida AG, why league updated Rooney Rule language