News - February 3, 2003

Detroit Lions' Millen Ignores Diversity Policy;
Time For Ford, Rooney To Step In

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

"As they seek to hire a new head coach, the Detroit Lions have seriously threatened to undermine and potentially violate the new NFL minority hiring policy approved by team owners in December.

The Lions' new head coaching vacancy came to light on January 27. Prior to conducting a single interview, General Manager Matt Millen essentially crowned Steve Mariucci as the Lions' new head coach. He might well have put up a sign at Lions' headquarters reading, "Head Coaching Vacancy: Minorities Need Not Apply." By all but announcing the outcome prior to the interviews, Millen has all but violated the NFL's new minority hiring policy. Further, it is an affront to minorities not only inside the NFL, but to Detroit's minority population.

So far, Millen has been unable to convince minority candidates that there is genuine fair competition for Detroit's head coaching position. It is no wonder that Dennis Green, Tim Lewis, and Sherman Lewis have all independently refused to be officially interviewed. No one wants to, or should be, used in a sham interview. Two years ago, Millen impulsively hired Marty Mornhinweg and cancelled a scheduled interview with Marvin Lewis. This closed-minded approach has not been forgotten and contributes to the credibility gap in the Lions' current hiring cycle. The state of affairs with the Lions is particularly disappointing when one considers that in Cincinnati the Brown family established a superb example by interviewing five candidates (two African American) face-to-face with no predetermined favorites. The San Francisco 49ers have also interviewed a diverse candidate slate.

But the situation is not irreparable. Lions Owner, William Clay Ford, should announce that there is no pre-determined candidate set to take the job and that the process is open, inclusive and on a level-playing field. Ford should personally take control of the head coach hiring process.

The Rooney Committee worked very hard to develop a minority hiring policy that all owners strongly agreed to support on December 20, 2002. Now it is up to the owners to keep their promise and follow the spirit and letter of their agreement. Dan Rooney and the Commissioner's office should take immediate steps to eliminate any ambiguity in the enforcement of the policy."

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"In closing, we want to recognize the career of Bobby Mitchell and thank him for 44 years of service to the NFL. He was a trailblazer on the field and in the NFL front office and is living proof that the struggle for equal opportunity in the NFL is a long one. Even though he will leave the NFL, his mark in the league is significant and his legacy will not be forgotten."

For more information about Bobby Mitchell's story, see today's (Newport News, VA) Daily Press.

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