PHOENIX — NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Tuesday responded to Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, who had sent a letter to the commissioner threatening legal action if the NFL doesn’t abolish the Rooney Rule.
Goodell said the NFL believes in the Rooney Rule and its goal to identify diverse candidates in the hiring process.
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“Well, one thing that doesn’t change is our values. We believe diversity has been a benefit to the National Football League. We are well aware of the laws,” Goodell said at the NFL owners meeting. “We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those.
“We certainly will engage with the Florida AG or anybody else, as we have in the past, to talk about our policies and what they are. The Rooney Rule is not that hiring mandate. It’s intended to try to help, and it’s been used by industries far beyond football, far beyond the United States, to help identify candidates and a diverse set of candidates bringing better talent and give us an opportunity to hire the best talent, ultimately.”
Goodell’s response came after Uthmeier said, in a video posted on social media, that the Rooney Rule “violates Florida law by requiring race-based considerations in hiring.”
The Rooney Rule was originally established in 2003 to increase diversity in coaching and management. The rule has come under fire in recent years by both proponents and detractors.
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Out of the 10 head coaching jobs available during the 2026 hiring cycle, Robert Saleh, hired by the Tennessee Titans, represents the only minority hire this year. There are just three Black head coaches in the NFL.
Goodell later reiterated the Rooney Rule isn’t going away.
“The Rooney Rule has been around a long time. We’ve evolved it and changed it. We’ll continue to do that,” Goodell said.
Here are other highlights from Goodell’s press conference at the NFL owners meetings:
Roger Goodell backed ‘reimagined’ accelerator program
The NFL launched the accelerator program in 2022. It was intended to increase diversity in leadership roles. The league paused the program in 2025 to be “reimagined” and the NFL is bringing back the program in May. It will now include nonminority participants.
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“I think it’s about, you know, giving our employees that are in the league a chance to continue to expand their horizons, their abilities, educate them more on other aspects of the league so they can play different roles in the league,” Goodell said.
NFL’s stalled talks with NFL Referees Association
The gridlock between the NFL and NFL Referees Association has been chronicled throughout the owners meetings. The NFL approved the league’s officiating department to correct clear and obvious mistakes made by on-field officials that impact the game, in the event that there is a referee work stoppage and it has to use replacement refs.
Goodell confirmed that negotiations between the NFL and NFL Referees Association haven’t progressed as the NFL Referees Association’s CBA is set to expire on May 31.
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“The negotiations haven’t progressed the way we hoped, from a timing standpoint,” Goodell said.
Super Bowl 63
The NFL named Las Vegas the host city of Super Bowl 63 on Monday. When Super Bowl 63 comes to Las Vegas in 2029, it’ll mark the second time the city’s hosted the Super Bowl in a five-year span.
“Well, one of the great things about Super Bowl, or the draft, or, frankly, most any event, I think every city takes it, and I think they put their signature on,” Goodell said. “I think Las Vegas did that.
“I have no doubt Las Vegas will raise the bar from their previous Super Bowl.”
Flag football
The NFL is invested in flag football. It committed $32 million to flag football a few months ago. Then, on Monday, the NFL announced the launch of a new flag football league.
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It’s not a coincidence the NFL’s flag football push comes within a couple years of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, where flag football will be among the sports.
“I think it’d be great for football. I think it’d be great for fans,” Goodell said. “I think it’s a way our game is accessible, through flag football on a global basis. It’s helping us internationally. I think the Olympics are going to be a wonderful stage for us to show that off. So, we’re looking forward to LA.”
Goodell said he thinks NFL players will participate in flag football in the 2028 Olympics.
Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Tyler Dragon on X @TheTylerDragon.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Highlights from Roger Goodell press conference at NFL owners meetings