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NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said the league isn't ending its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies.
On Monday (February 3), Goodell addressed the NFL's stance on DEI amid attacks on efforts and policies led by President Donald Trump's administration, per The Hill.
“We got into diversity efforts because we felt it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, I think we’ve proven to ourselves that it does make the NFL better,” Goodell said during his state of the league address.
“We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get into it or a trend to get out of it. Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent into the National Football League both on and off the field," he added.
The Trump administration has made it a priority to remove DEI policies and initiatives from the federal government. Several major companies, including Target, McDonald's, Lowes, Amazon, and more, have rolled back their DEI policies in recent months.
On Monday, Goodell emphasized the NFL's commitment to DEI, citing the Rooney Rule, a policy that requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for a head coaching gig.
“There’s no requirement to hire a particular individual on the basis of race or gender. It’s simply on the basis of looking at a canvas of candidates that reflect our communities, and to look at the kind of talent that exists there and then you make the best decision on who is hired,” Goodell said.
“And so many of us, including the National Football League at our office, are doing that voluntarily at all levels because it has benefited us; and I hear that from companies on a global basis is that, that’s a very strong hiring practice that we are adopting also."
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