Why No Rooney Rule For Bucs? Here’s Why.
March 30th, 2022
New Bucs head coach Todd Bowles
OK, so Joe sees in the comments folks asking about why the Bucs didn’t have to follow the Rooney Rule, which is that two candidates of color (or a woman — provided you can define “woman”) must be interviewed for a head coach opening.
One of the two men who broke tonight’s news that Bucco Bruce Arians was stepping aside, Sam Farmer of the Los Angeles Times, touched upon this issue.
Normally, a team would need to comply with the Rooney Rule and conduct in-person interviews with at least two minority candidates for a head-coaching vacancy — that’s people of color and/or women. But because this is happening after the start of the league year, when the interview window has closed, this type of coach-to-coach succession is permissible.
Joe is confident the fact that the Bucs were going to promote defensive coordinator Todd Bowles to take over is a factor as well.
So now you know why the Bucs didn’t have to adhere to the Rooney Rule. It wasn’t applicable in this case.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:19 pm
Now hire away Kris Richard from the Saints as DC. His defenses roll!
March 30th, 2022 at 9:21 pm
Mcruzer Says:
March 30th, 2022 at 9:19 pm
Zero chance they hire a DC who doesn’t know Bowles defense. They’re not going to change systems.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:22 pm
Rooney rule is BS in this case. They knew who they wanted as HC and interviewing other people is just a waste of time and $.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
Why would any complain about this… they hired a minority coach? That is the point of the rule.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
What about comp draft picks?
Do we get a third round pick? If so, when?
March 30th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
As my bro LUV said…….Congrats to Kacy Rodgers as well!
March 30th, 2022 at 9:24 pm
My fav defined woman is chaz Bono
March 30th, 2022 at 9:24 pm
The Man Says:
March 30th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
Why would any complain about this… they hired a minority coach? That is the point of the rule.
……
It’s the fake woke crowd. Just looking for a reason to go buy more tissues.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:24 pm
Shoot how bout flores cause its upgrade position so think he could get out of steelers deal? Maybe not
But bucs will go in house
Man i want to have a bromosa with this joe. Im dying 😂
March 30th, 2022 at 9:25 pm
I am glad it is Bowles vs Leftwich. Now I wonder who our new defensive coordinator will be, unless Bowles wants to do it himself ?
March 30th, 2022 at 9:27 pm
Get Uncle Ira away from his beat salad and Clapton records; IT’S TIME FOR AN EMERGENCY PODCAST!!!!
March 30th, 2022 at 9:28 pm
Who picked Bowles? Arains was the HC not the GM, isn’t it Lichts job to pick his successor, and the Glazers to approve it? Give Bruce a nice paycheck and send him back to his lake house.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:30 pm
Marine Buc Says:
March 30th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
I think that is only compensation when you lose a coach to another team as HC.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:31 pm
SB Says:
March 30th, 2022 at 9:23 pm
As my bro LUV said…….Congrats to Kacy Rodgers as well!
=====
Did they announce Kacy Rodgers as DC? I haven’t seen that yet, and I hope it’s not the case.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:34 pm
I think they award a pick if you promote a minority from within the organization.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:34 pm
I don’t have a problem with the Rooney Rule and think it’s a good one to give more people opportunities that may not have them, but…
I’ve always wondered how the rule itself is not considered unconstitutional.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:35 pm
I think we should get a 3rd pick. In this case didn’t we lose a coordinator to a head coach? Is the spirt of the rule to hire minority head coaches?
March 30th, 2022 at 9:37 pm
NFL.com says they’re “likely” to split the D coordinator job between Kacy Rodgers and Larry Foote. If thats the case, so much for change.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:41 pm
Bowels basically responsible for the loss in playoffs = gets promoted to HC…
Such a Bucs move!
March 30th, 2022 at 9:47 pm
Does anyone not wish for Tom Brady to stay with the buccaneers as a coach, a GM, a Consultant or part owner? What is the chance of this?
March 30th, 2022 at 9:48 pm
I’m only asking the question here. Does the Rooney rule actually hurt minority candidates chances? Nobody should be a token. I feel like it’s disrespectful to minorities but I’m not a minority and would prefer to hear from their perspective.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:48 pm
^After his retirement of course
March 30th, 2022 at 9:50 pm
@Tye. I’m going optimistic. I actually think Todd’s demeanor lends him well as a HC and hopefully he does more oversight and less D Coordinating. You catch my drift. Think about it. It’s perfect. Glory days are still here.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:54 pm
Tye Says:
March 30th, 2022 at 9:41 pm
And the year before, the defense was just as responsible for the Superbowl win as the offense, so short memories… Such a Bucs fan statement.
March 30th, 2022 at 9:59 pm
I asked about the Rooney Rule in a previous post because I know how ridiculous the league office is. They’ll make a mountain out of a mole hill for no reason whatsoever sometimes. I could care less if they followed the rule or not.
The question had nothing to do with any “woke crowd” bull crap.
March 30th, 2022 at 10:07 pm
The Buccaneers shouldn’t have to comply anyway, probably had more black coaches and QBs than any other team.
March 30th, 2022 at 10:32 pm
Americas team. A woman defense coach. The press will love the Buccos.
March 30th, 2022 at 11:15 pm
Can we get a third round pick for this?
March 30th, 2022 at 11:21 pm
Sasquatch
Not to mention we went 13-4 and got to the divisional with a disgustingly bombed out defense. We were number one with most players with an interception. And seriously, when was the last time a HC had a chance with the NYJ???
March 31st, 2022 at 1:06 am
This is as seamless as a HC transition could possibly be.
March 31st, 2022 at 9:06 am
Ok so I know this may be a little controversial but has anyone thought to ask themselves this question? Do to the timing of this with the owners meeting and the controversy behind the Rooney Rule this year. Is it possible that this is just a optics move for the Rooney Rule. I mean how much is BA responsibilities going to change.
March 31st, 2022 at 9:18 am
It appears that it may be some time before we learn all of the “real” backstory on what has just transpired.
There is however, one longstanding side bar issue that
(at least for me) might indirectly have some light shed
on it….and that is the often discussed question of who has been making the ridiculous and predictable calls to run up the middle on 1st downs.
God knows we should do it sometimes just to keep the opposing defenses honest. But just as Jon Gruden’s hire ended Dungy’s propensity to make the same call way too frequently, there is a good chance TB’s elevation to head coach would likely negate any influence there may have been on BA’s part.
Here’s hoping it was BA’s influence all along, and we finally get some sane unpredictability on 1st down calls.
Should this happen, I might be able to save whats left of my ground down molars. If, however, the predictable runs up the middle on first downs continue, I think we can safely assume it was BL all along…and I am certaintly headed for a complete set of dentures!!
March 31st, 2022 at 9:24 am
Follow me for a sec…the Bucs wait until AFTER the start of the league year so the don’t have to comply with the Rooney Rule and handpick their new HC. To me, the fact that he is a minority is irrelevant because being already on staff he would not count towards the Rooney Rule for interviewing purposes. People of all colors should have a problem with this because it is circumventing the rule to promote diversity. What about other available minority candidates? How does this promote diversity and fairness in hiring and what happens to the next team that does this but it is a white coach that is hand picked. The means can’t not matter as long as the ends are in your favor. This can’t be so short sighted if a change in the culture is the long term goal. I think the NFL NEEDS to investigate this fully.
March 31st, 2022 at 10:20 am
I think Confused has a point. The idea of the Rooney Rule is getting black candidates NFL level head coach interview experience and face time with ownership groups. It isn’t about the Bucs already having a black head coach selected – it’s about the other candidates getting experience so they are a step closer.
March 31st, 2022 at 6:59 pm
???? I do not understand why a formality designed to encourage the hiring of minority coaches would EVER be invoked to challenge DUH…the hiring of a minority coach. Am I missing something?
I get that if Bowles was white there would be an issue but how do you fix a non existent problem..the Bucs already have hired a minority did they need to talk to two other minorities out of some silly technicality?
March 31st, 2022 at 9:43 pm
What’s missing stpetebucsfan IS the hiring process itself. Arians said it himself that it was always his dream to hand a head-coaching job to a member of his staff. But that’s not how the NFL coaching vacancies are supposed to be handled. The Bucs exploited a loophole in the Rooney Rule because after March 1 teams are no longer required to allow assistant coaches to interview for head-coaching jobs. Thus, the Buccaneers were able to make a hire without interviewing at least two external minority candidates.
I can understand your point of view but my issue with this is based on viewing Todd Bowles not as a minority coach but as a handpicked coach through the use of this loophole. What’s to stop any NFL team from giving the BS “vote of confidence” to their crappy head coach at the end of the season, wait until March 2nd, fire the coach then give the job to who they choose. It’s perfectly legal and the loophole makes the Rooney Rule obsolete. The Flores lawsuit is based on an argument of “sham interviews” and biased hiring practices, how can this not be looked at as a major red flag to any rule aimed at changing that?