MIAMI -- Nobody's writing this week that Jim Caldwell is black.That means the Rooney Rule is working. "We're not talking about it as much and that's a good thing,'' said Caldwell, who was Indianapolis' assistant head coach three years ago when the Colts' Tony Dungy and the Bears' Lovie Smith were the first black coaches in Super Bowl history
When Caldwell leads the Indianapolis Colts onto the field for the Super Bowl on Sunday, he will be the fourth African-American coach in the last four Super Bowls following Dungy and Smith in 2007 and Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin last season. In addition, Jerry Reese, general manager of the New York Giants, the 2008 winner, also is African-American.
"I think the face of the league looks a lot different in 2010 than it did in 2002,'' Caldwell said as he prepared for Sunday's game. "I think a lot of that has to do with the opportunity that is being presented. There are some sharp guys out there that are certainly capable and deserve an opportunity.''
The rule was established in 2003 by a committee headed by Pittsburgh owner Dan Rooney and requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for every coaching vacancy. The committee was established by then-commissioner Paul Tagliabue after Johnnie Cochran Jr. and Cyrus Mehri, two lawyers, pointed out the low percentage of minority coaches in the NFL compared to the high percentage of minority players.
It was expanded this year to include hirings for senior front-office positions -- there currently are five black general managers or the equivalent and six black coaches, one less than the high.
At one level, Caldwell is representative of a loophole in the rule that came up this season in Washington and Seattle.
"I don't think it's perfect, but it's heading in the right direction."
-- Jim Caldwell on the Rooney Rule The Redskins, who clearly were ready to hire Mike Shanahan even before they fired Jim Zorn, interviewed defensive backfield coach Jerry Gray while Zorn was still the coach, then hired Shanahan two days after the regular season ended. The Seahawks already had agreed in principle to hire Pete Carroll when they interviewed Minnesota defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier.
Caldwell, meanwhile, was designated the Colts' coach-in-waiting a year ago, when he was Indianapolis' assistant head coach and Dungy announced he would retire at the end of the season. There was no requirement to interview anyone else in that situation, nor was there a requirement to hire a black coach a year ago when Seattle named Jim Mora as the successor to Mike Holmgren, who also announced it would be his last season.
Although Rooney's name is on the rule, it could just as easily be Dungy's.
His outspoken statements in 2002, when he believed a number of qualified African-American candidates were being passed over for recycled whites, led in part to the Cochran-Mehri news conference. That in turn, led to the creation of the Rooney committee.
And the four black coaches who have been in Super Bowls all coached under Dungy -- Caldwell, obviously, with the Colts, and Smith and Tomlin in Tampa Bay. Frazier, who is considered likely to be the next black head coach, was the defensive backs coach for Dungy in Indianapolis.
Fewell is now the New York Giants' defensive coordinator, and if he can fix a defense that fell apart in 2009, he'll be back as a candidate -- as Steve Spagnuolo became in 2007 when he fixed a Giants defense that ended up helping the team with the title. Spagnuolo was rewarded last year by being hired as head coach of the Rams (although you can question whether that truly was a reward).
Meanwhile, Caldwell is looking at an opportunity to become the third black coach in four seasons to win a title.
Even though he didn't benefit from the Rooney rule, he thinks it applies to others.
"It gives you an opportunity to get interviewed, to get in position, to get in front of the owners,'' he said. "I don't think it's perfect, but it's heading in the right direction.''
/changes Super Bowl pick to Jets RT @JennyVrentas: QB Kevin O'Connell will return to Jets on two-year deal: http://tinyurl.com/35bw6d8
John Fox on his return to the "new'' Meadowlands: " I guess we’re going into the same parking lot ..."
Comments (Page 1 of 1)
This rule is garbage. The league is majority black players as it is, what's the big deal if a coach is white, black, or purple. May the best person get the job, isn't that how the players are chosen?
I think you mean when Caldwell leads the Colts onto the field, not Rooney.
The Rooney rule is racist..but blacks are more than allowed to be as racist as they want so what do you expect?
Oh by the way when does the NBA rule requiring a set amount of whites in the league go into effect?
I see caldwell the same way I saw Seifert and Switzer. They all inherited good teams. Those teams started falling apart once there core of talented players brought in by Walsh and Johnson started leaving.
C'MON he a success you got to be kidding me. he took over a team that was built up and had been in the playoffs the last 10 years it not like he built the team from losers to super bowl contenders like lovie smith did in chicago. he more like barry switzer when jimmy johnson quit. someone already built the team and drove it to the super bowl now u just got to try and not screw it up. let give him a few years or let payton get hurt and can't come back and see if he a success then when he has to do it on his own. he just like tomlinson in pittsburh and barry switzer before him. he looks good now but when things have to be done with the guys he picks and the qb isn't there how will he preform
Caldwell's done a good job, and is a vast improvement over the Dennis Green's of the world, but how the heck is he an example of the Rooney Rule??!! He was promoted from within the organization. A hiring technique, by the way, which is frowned upon in the private sector by government enforcement agencies because it supposedly reinforces the "good ole boy" network. No complaints about the rule, I just can't figure out how Caldwell is an example of it. Neither is Dungy for that matter, he was a well respected head coach before the rule was installed.
Caldwell is his own man and his own coach. He made a few needed changes. He replaced the defensive coordinator and the special teams coach. He replaced a very popular punter and he replaced a Hall of Fame reciever. He dealt with many injuries and the team never skipped a beat. He had the courage to hold back when every one screemed for a perfect season. He made changes in the off week preparation for the playoffs.
He is a great coach. He is a great man.
How well does Caldwell look now??? He lost the Super Bowl and I think the main reason is his stupid decision to stop playing against the Jets during a season game!!! They were not ready for the Super Bowl, due to this. He was handed this job because he is black, no if ands or buts. This rule is racial and almost all of the NFL is black, will there be a quota put on the number of white people the NFL must hire now NO!!! if a rule is racial and favors blacks it is okay not the same for white's or any other color. The Rooney RULE IS RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Could not leave not alone could you. You just reported Caldwell is Black after saying nobody was reporting Caldwell is Black.
Nobody reporting race and you just had to bring it up.
Kevin Blackistone probably sold this article to Goldberg--didn't want to piggyback this one on his black/white Senior Bowl article. Certainly follows Kev's style--crediting the Rooney Rule in a case that has absolutely NOTHING to do with the coach in question, other than that he's the right color. Don't get me wrong, I'm very happy for Caldwell and his success, but as marktmurphy stated earlier, the Rule played no factor in this story.
I agree that this rule is ridiculous. Teams make a mockery of it by having a coach in mind but because of the rule they have to go through the motions and waste everybody's time. Find out the biggest mistake made by sports bettors here http://bit.ly/9UE0rm
Later guys