News - February 4, 2003

Detroit Lions Undermine New
NFL Diversity Hiring Policy

Joint Statement by
Johnnie L. Cochran, Jr. and Cyrus Mehri

"Today, the Detroit Lions hired Steve Mariucci to be their next head coach without seriously interviewing a minority candidate. By doing so, the Lions' ownership breached an agreement made to the other 31 owners of the NFL. On December 20th, the 32 owners of the NFL "strongly agreed" to interview at least one minority candidate prior to selecting a head coach.

The Lions' action violates the NFL's diversity hiring policy. The Lions' failure to live up to the agreement made by team owner William Clay Ford must have meaningful consequences. We urge the Workplace Diversity Committee Chairman Dan Rooney and NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue to penalize the Lions for this violation.

But this situation could have been avoided. Lions' General Manager Matt Millen managed the search for a new head coach very poorly. He tarnished the hiring process almost immediately after the vacancy became available by publicly stating that Mariucci was the team's first choice. This admission rightfully discouraged minority coaches from participating in the process because the outcome appeared to be predetermined.

To argue that the Lions fulfilled the minority interview requirement by offering interviews to minority coaches when the job was all but promised to another candidate is a pathetic attempt to explain away bad management of the football team.

Under the leadership of Dan Rooney, the NFL Workplace Diversity Committee worked very hard to develop a minority hiring policy that all owners strongly agreed to support. Now, Rooney and Commissioner Tagliabue are at a crossroads. Will they seriously enforce this policy or marginalize it as a mere voluntary guideline? The answer will determine whether the NFL "means business" on equal opportunity or will return to "business as usual"."

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Black Coaches in the National Football League: Superior Performance, Inferior Opportunities can be found at www.FindJustice.com.