Florida’s attorney general is taking aim at the NFL’s hiring practices, and the Miami Dolphins are part of the conversation.
In a post on X, longtime NFL reporter Armando Salguero shared a copy of a letter sent by Attorney General James Uthmeier to Commissioner Roger Goodell, raising concerns about the league’s “Rooney Rule” and related diversity initiatives.
Uthmeier says Rooney Rule may violate Florida’s anti-DEI law
A March 25, 2026 letter from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell challenges the Rooney Rule, saying the league’s diversity hiring policies may conflict with Florida law.
The rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for top positions like head coach and general manager, is intended to promote diversity in hiring.
Uthmeier argues those policies amount to race- and sex-based preferences, which he says conflict with the Florida Civil Rights Act and the state’s broader effort to roll back DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) programs.
Florida lawmakers have moved in recent years to restrict DEI initiatives, including legislation aimed at banning certain diversity programs at the local government level.
The attorney general’s letter suggests those same principles could extend to private organizations operating in the state, setting up a potential clash between state law and longstanding NFL policy.
In addition to the Miami Dolphins, the NFL also has two other teams in Florida, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
The NFL has not publicly responded.