Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier warned the National Football League that one of its methods in hiring violates Florida law.On Wednesday, Uthmeier said in a recorded video on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that the NFL’s “Rooney Rule” violates the Florida Civil Rights Act.Uthmeier said his office is sending a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ahead of the league’s annual meeting in Arizona about the league’s hiring practices, specifically the Rooney Rule.The latest: Sports coverage from WPBF 25 NewsAccording to the NFL, the Rooney Rule is part of the league’s effort to develop “a deep, sustainable talent pool at all levels of the organization. The policy promotes diverse leadership among NFL clubs to ensure that promising candidates have the opportunity to prove they have the necessary skills and qualifications to excel.””The NFL’s use of the Rooney Rule violates Florida law by requiring race-based considerations in hiring,” Uthmeier said. “Florida law is clear. Hiring decisions cannot be based on race. And Rooney Rule mandates raced-based interviews and incentives race-based decisions. That’s discrimination.”Uthmeier said his office is demanding the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule and failure to do so may result in enforcement actions against the league for race-based discrimination.CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTERThe Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars are Florida-based teams who are members of the NFL.The attorney general’s letter is addressed to Goodell with Dolphins Chairman and Managing General Partner Stephen Ross, Buccaneers Owner and co-Chairman Bryan Glazer, Jaguars Owner Shad Khan among others that are carbon copied (CC’d) on the letter.The NFL said it adopted the Rooney Rule in 2003 on recommendations made by the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee, now known as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.The rule was named after the chairman of the committee, Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who died in 2017 at age 84.The Steelers told WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the sister station of WPBF 25 News, that they had “no comment” at this time about the attorney general’s comments.WPBF 25 News contacted the NFL, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for comment and is awaiting responses.The NFL said the committee wanted to focus on the historically low number of minorities in head coaching positions. Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.The league required teams with a head coach vacancy to interview at least one or more “diverse candidates” before making a new hire.The league said the requirement has expanded over the years to include women as a minority candidate.League teams are now required to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coach and general manager positions in person, interview either in person or virtually, two external minority candidates for coordinator coaching positions and interview one minority candidate for the quarterback coach position.One minority interview, including a woman, is required for a team senior-level position, like team president and senior executives.In 2020, the NFL approved a proposal to reward teams that develop minority talent that went on to become general managers or head coaches across the league by giving teams a third-round compensatory draft pick for two years if the team lost a minority executive or coach to another team as a hire.If a minority coach and personnel candidate were hired by another team, the NFL would give the team that lost the candidates third-round compensatory draft picks for three years.”NFL teams and their fans don’t care about the race of the coaching staff,” Uthmeier said. “They want a merit-based system that gives their team the best chance to win.”
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. —
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier warned the National Football League that one of its methods in hiring violates Florida law.
On Wednesday, Uthmeier said in a recorded video on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter, that the NFL’s “Rooney Rule” violates the Florida Civil Rights Act.
Uthmeier said his office is sending a letter to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell ahead of the league’s annual meeting in Arizona about the league’s hiring practices, specifically the Rooney Rule.
The latest: Sports coverage from WPBF 25 News
According to the NFL, the Rooney Rule is part of the league’s effort to develop “a deep, sustainable talent pool at all levels of the organization. The policy promotes diverse leadership among NFL clubs to ensure that promising candidates have the opportunity to prove they have the necessary skills and qualifications to excel.”
“The NFL’s use of the Rooney Rule violates Florida law by requiring race-based considerations in hiring,” Uthmeier said. “Florida law is clear. Hiring decisions cannot be based on race. And Rooney Rule mandates raced-based interviews and incentives race-based decisions. That’s discrimination.”
Uthmeier said his office is demanding the NFL suspend the Rooney Rule and failure to do so may result in enforcement actions against the league for race-based discrimination.
Getty Images
From left to right: James Uthmeier speaks at the National Conservatism Conference in Washington D.C., Sept. 3, 2025. (Photo by Dominic Gwinn / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by DOMINIC GWINN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images) ||| SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 2: NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during Super Bowl LX Opening Night at San Jose McEnery Convention Center on February 02, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
CLICK HERE TO READ THE LETTER
The Miami Dolphins, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars are Florida-based teams who are members of the NFL.
The attorney general’s letter is addressed to Goodell with Dolphins Chairman and Managing General Partner Stephen Ross, Buccaneers Owner and co-Chairman Bryan Glazer, Jaguars Owner Shad Khan among others that are carbon copied (CC’d) on the letter.
The NFL said it adopted the Rooney Rule in 2003 on recommendations made by the league’s Workplace Diversity Committee, now known as the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee.
The rule was named after the chairman of the committee, Dan Rooney, the owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers, who died in 2017 at age 84.
Getty ImagesJEFF HAYNES
Pittsburgh Steelers team owner Dan Rooney holds the Vince Lombardi trophy after his team won Super Bowl XL, 21-10 against the Seattle Seahawks 05 February 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. AFP PHOTO/JEFF HAYNES (Photo by JEFF HAYNES / AFP) (Photo by JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images)
The Steelers told WTAE-TV in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the sister station of WPBF 25 News, that they had “no comment” at this time about the attorney general’s comments.
WPBF 25 News contacted the NFL, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for comment and is awaiting responses.
The NFL said the committee wanted to focus on the historically low number of minorities in head coaching positions.
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
The league required teams with a head coach vacancy to interview at least one or more “diverse candidates” before making a new hire.
The league said the requirement has expanded over the years to include women as a minority candidate.
League teams are now required to interview at least two external minority candidates for head coach and general manager positions in person, interview either in person or virtually, two external minority candidates for coordinator coaching positions and interview one minority candidate for the quarterback coach position.
One minority interview, including a woman, is required for a team senior-level position, like team president and senior executives.
In 2020, the NFL approved a proposal to reward teams that develop minority talent that went on to become general managers or head coaches across the league by giving teams a third-round compensatory draft pick for two years if the team lost a minority executive or coach to another team as a hire.
If a minority coach and personnel candidate were hired by another team, the NFL would give the team that lost the candidates third-round compensatory draft picks for three years.
“NFL teams and their fans don’t care about the race of the coaching staff,” Uthmeier said. “They want a merit-based system that gives their team the best chance to win.”