The New England Patriots made the decision to hire Mike Vrabel, but the process leading up to it, particularly the involvement of Robert and Jonathan Kraft, has faced criticism. After the dismissal of minority head coach Jerod Mayo—who was considered a potential successor to Bill Belichick—New England was clear about their choice. However, they were also aware of the necessity to comply with the Rooney Rule.
The Patriots promptly interviewed Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich, both of whom had been away from coaching for a few seasons. By not waiting for coaches engaged in the NFL Playoffs, they swiftly moved forward, leading to Vrabel’s hiring just days ago. Critics, including NFL insiders Jordan Schultz and Albert Breer, have accused the Patriots of blatantly circumventing the Rooney Rule, turning it into a mockery. Despite this, as noted by Awful Announcing’s Drew Lerner, numerous other insiders seemed complicit, allowing New England to evade the rule’s spirit.
In contrast, Bomani Jones argued that the Patriots did not significantly violate the Rooney Rule. However, Ryan Clark expressed a different viewpoint on Inside the NFL, deeming New England’s actions as a “mockery” of the rule and even proposed its complete elimination.
NFL teams are entitled to hire who they feel is best for the coaching job, & at head coach I believe that’s moved beyond color. Now, it’s time to create better resume & career building opportunities for minority to combat nepotism.
The entire football world knew Jerod Mayo was… pic.twitter.com/0byLf5KZuU
— Ryan Clark (@Realrclark25) January 16, 2025
Clark emphasized the need for a candid examination of the Rooney Rule, noting, “To interview Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich, two coaches who aren’t even in football right now, just to fulfill a quota,” which undermines the rule’s intent of providing minority coaches meaningful opportunities. He expressed that while hiring the best candidates is crucial, token interviews do a disservice to dedicated coaches.
“I believe we have moved to a point where organizations will hire the best person they feel for the job. But let’s not make coaches who have worked their entire lives for this opportunity be the token interview,” said Clark. His call for an alternative where teams can hire someone from a lower level for mentorship, rather than engaging in “bullcrap interviews” to meet requirements, reflects his frustration with the current system.
Recognizing the rule’s diminishing effectiveness, Clark argued, “When it was implemented initially, I believe it worked. It has now run its course and become something that is a joke to NFL coaches, and more importantly, to the people it was supposed to help.” His sentiments resonated with Chris Long and even Bill Belichick, who concurred with Clark wholeheartedly, acknowledging the process as flawed.
“I love Mike Vrabel. I think he’s a great coach,” said Belichick. “Certainly was a great player. I agree. I thought the process was a sham, and that’s obvious. But Mike’s a good coach. I have no issues with Mike at all.” Clark’s view that the Rooney Rule has run its course, illustrated by the Patriots’ situation, indicates a larger issue regarding genuine efforts to diversify coaching talent within the NFL.
A sham, indeed.
