On Thursday, Pittsburgh Steelers chairman Dan Rooney passed away at the age of 84. He will be remembered for many things. He will probably be best remembered for being a champion of diversity.
The “Rooney Rule” requires that NFL teams interview at least one minority candidate for head coaching or senior football operation positions. Though Rooney did not write the rule, he served chairman of the league’s diversity committee when it was passed in 2003.
The NFL will enter the 2017 season tied for the most minority head coaches in the league’s history, with eight. That includes two of coaches hired this offseason: Anthony Lynn (Los Angeles CHargers) and Vance Joseph (Denver Broncos).
On Thursday, the Broncos released a statement from Joseph on Rooney’s passing:
“As someone who’s privileged to work in the NFL, my sincere condolences go out to the Rooney family, Mike Tomlin and everyone else at the Steelers who knew Mr. Rooney. I know he was a champion for diversity, not only around the NFL but also within his team. I believe the opportunity he gave Coach Tomlin many years ago opened up a lot of doors for minority coaches around the league, including myself. When you talk about the “Rooney Rule,” and giving everyone a chance to interview for these jobs, that’s a credit to Mr. Rooney and his incredible legacy.”
