Jerry Jones finds an interesting way around the Rooney Rule
Personally I hate the Rooney Rule, and it is one of those things the NFL should do away with. However if they are going to rob my Detroit Lions of a win over that ridiculous process of the catch rule, then they better damn well hold teams to the Rooney Rule. This rule of course states that a team must interview one minority candidate for every head coaching job. Therefore Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, cannot give Jason Garrett the head coaching job on a permanent basis until he interviews at least one minority candidate.
Luckily for him he has one on the payroll already. Jones will interview Cowboys’ Wide Receivers coach Ray Sherman for the head job. It is a ridiculous thing to do for many reasons. The first and foremost being Sherman is likely to be fired by the Cowboys in the coming weeks, so interviewing whim while he still answers to Jones is bending the spirit of this rule to its breaking point. Not to mention that Sherman capped out his NFL coaching resume as an average offensive coordinator over a decade ago.
The Rooney Rule has not lead to an explosion of minority head coaches in the NFL, and giving an interview to a guy like Sherman is completely ridiculous. Sherman would not get a head coaching job in the UFL much less the NFL. Using a guy on the payroll to satisfy a ridiculous rule is itself ridiculous. The rule should be applied to find quality, qualified minority candidates for NFL head coaching positions. Thankfully it now looks like Leslie Frazier will get a real chance to lead a NFL team.
In my opinion any rule that seems quota based is bad. I don’t want to see X number of minority head coaches in the NFL because society tells us that is what is expected. I want to see quality head coaches, regardless of their race or creed, get the jobs they deserve.
Related Links:
- Dallas Cowboys news and notes
- The Business of the NFL
- Joshua Lobdell.com
