Dungy: Rooney Rule not being followed
January 10, 2010
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP)—Recent minority interviews for NFL coaching jobs inWashington and Seattle under the Rooney Rule have raised questions whether thespirit of the rule has been violated.
Former Colts coach Tony Dungy wonders about the process used by theRedskins, who interviewed assistant coach Jerry Gray for the head coachingposition last month even though Jim Zorn still held the job.
The Seahawks met with Vikings defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier onSaturday amid reports that Southern California coach Pete Carroll would be hiredregardless of how impressive Frazier was.
FILE – In this Jan. 12, 2009, … AP – Jan 10, 4:54 pm EST FILE – In this 2008 file photo… AP – Jan 10, 4:51 pm EST
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“That is not what the Rooney Rule is supposed to be, (that) you make upyour mind and then interview a candidate for it anyway just to satisfy therule,” said Dungy, who retired from coaching last year and now is an analyst onNBC’s “Football Night in America” show.
“If the Jerry Gray situation is the way it has been described as happening,I don’t think it was fair. I don’t think I would ever interview for a job if myboss was not out of the job. I don’t blame Jerry; it’s the position he was putin, if it happened that way.”
Yet Dungy encourages all candidates to interview—under the properprocedures.
“The idea of the rule is to slow down the process and get teams to do theirhomework and investigate a lot of candidates, not just minority candidates,” hesaid. “You went through the process, and in doing that sometimes you uncoverpeople.”
That’s what happened when the Steelers hired Mike Tomlin over assistants KenWhisenhunt and Russ Grimm in 2007. Dungy believes Frazier’s numerous interviews— the Rams, Broncos, Lions, Dolphins, Falcons have spoken to him in past years,and he remains among the front-runners for the Buffalo position—will pay off,too.
“Even in cases where you don’t get the job, I know Leslie interviewed withthe Dolphins and know Bill Parcells came away impressed and told other peoplehow impressed he was, and he is a sharp guy and that helps,” Dungy said. “Thatgoes a ways in promoting that diversity.”
The Vikings declined to make Frazier available for comment Sunday. In thepast, he has said he supports the Rooney Rule process, which was introducedafter the 2002 season and became mandatory a year later.
Vikings coach Brad Childress said Sunday only the interviewee can determinethe legitimacy of the talks.
“It’s really for the guy that’s being interviewed to decide what he feelslike the intentions are,” Childress said. “Do you feel like it’s a goodconversation? And those are all kinds of things that you try to ferret outbefore you get interviewed.”
On Saturday, commissioner Roger Goodell said the Redskins and Seahawks hadcomplied with the Rooney Rule in their coaching searches. League spokesman GregAiello added on Sunday:
“The rule has been effective, teams are complying, and it has produced itsintended positive results. Before the Rooney Rule, interviews with minority headcoaching and GM candidates that are conducted now might never have taken place.Since the Rooney Rule, there has been an exceptional increase in the number ofminority coaches who have had interviews, and there are far more minoritycoaches in the NFL, including head coaches, than in years past.”
Compliance with the Rooney Rule is overseen by the Fritz Pollard Alliance.Its chairman, John Wooten, played 10 seasons (1959-68) in the NFL as a guard—back when there were no minority head coaches.
Wooten can’t understand recent criticism of the system, noting that theSeahawks and Carroll himself assured him they had no deal at the time Frazierwas interviewed. Wooten also believes the Redskins handled things properly withGray.
“Do we have to fight and safeguard against shenanigans?” Wooten said.“Yes. People try to play as close to the line as they can. We say to our guys,`Don’t let people use you. We all know a legitimate interview.’
“I told Jerry that Dan Snyder went about it the right way. He called thecommissioner and the commissioner called me. The thing that bothered me withJerry is he didn’t stand up and say, `Dan Snyder came to me and asked me would Ibe interested in being coach of the Redskins?’ He’s the owner and knows whatwill happen with his team.”
AP Sports Writers Joseph White in Washington and Dave Campbell inMinneapolis contributed to this story.
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