Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a subpoena to the NFL as part of an investigation into potential civil rights violations related to the Rooney Rule and other diversity initiatives. The subpoena, sent on Wednesday, commands the league to appear at the attorney general's office in Tallahassee, Florida, on June 12 and produce extensive documents dating back to 2017.
Key Takeaways
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has issued a subpoena to the NFL as part of an investigation into potential civil rights violations related to the Rooney Rule and other diversity initiatives. The subpoena demands extensive records and data from the league, including hiring practices and demographic surveys.
- Florida AG issues investigative subpoena to NFL over Rooney Rule
- Subpoena seeks documents dating back to 2017 on diversity reports and coaching census data
- NFL claims Rooney Rule does not impose hiring quotas or mandates based on race or sex
- Uthmeier argues the rule violates Florida law by requiring teams to consider race in hiring decisions
The subpoena seeks "all diversity reports, coaching census data, or demographic surveys that reflect the race and sex of coaching staffs of the teams from 2017 to the present," according to PBS. Uthmeier's office is investigating whether the league has committed potential civil rights violations related to its employment practices.
The Rooney Rule, which requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for head coach and senior football operation jobs, has been a subject of controversy. Uthmeier argues that the rule violates Florida law by requiring teams to consider race in hiring decisions. In a letter accompanying the subpoena, Uthmeier wrote that "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."
The NFL has maintained that the Rooney Rule does not impose any hiring quotas or mandates based on race or sex. In a letter to Uthmeier on May 1, the league stated that "the Rooney Rule does not license clubs to consider race or sex in making hiring decisions." The NFL also noted that hiring decisions for teams are made by individual clubs and are based on merit.
Uthmeier has been critical of the NFL's response to his initial warning letter sent in March. He commended the league for altering the Rooney Rule language on its website but argued that the revisions raise more questions. The subpoena expands the focus beyond the Rooney Rule and includes other NFL diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell acknowledged the changing political landscape for diversity initiatives in the U.S. but stated that he did not believe there should be any legal issues with the league's policy. "The Rooney Rule has been around a long time," Goodell said at the league meetings in March. "We've evolved it, changed it. We'll continue to do that."
The NFL has not yet responded to the subpoena.
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