The Florida Attorney General threatened a pro sports league, sending a message to others.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier recently sent a letter to National Football League Commissioner Roger Goodell raising concerns over the league’s race-based hiring policies, which are in violation of Florida’s Civil Rights Act. He declared NFL policies illegal in the state.
“Professional sports are a visible example of a merit-based system, but through the Rooney Rule, the NFL requires its teams to use race-based hiring practices,” Attorney General James Uthmeier posted. “We are putting Commissioner Roger Goodell on notice: the Rooney Rule violates Florida law, and it must stop.”
In the letter, the Florida AG said the NFL policy is blatant race and sex discrimination. He declared it is illegal under Florida law.
“The Rooney Rule and its offshoots are illegal in Florida,” the Attorney General letter stated. “Therefore, please confirm no later than May 1, 2026, that the NFL will no longer enforce the Rooney Rule or any variation or extension thereof—which requires consideration of race, sex, or any other prohibited classification—on teams in Florida. Failure to provide such confirmation may result in a civil rights enforcement action.”
But the NFL disagrees strongly and responded to the Florida Attorney General’s threat by affirming their commitment to the Rooney Rule policy. “The Rooney Rule has been around a long time,” Goodell said. “We’ve evolved it, changed it. We’ll continue to do that.”
The Rooney Rule requires teams to interview minority candidates for head coach, general manager, coordinator, and quarterbacks coach positions.
The Florida Civil Rights Act prohibits employers from “fail[ing] or refus[ing] to hire any individual”; “limit[ing], segregate[ing], or classify[ing] employees or applicants for employment in any way which would deprive or tend to deprive any individual of employment opportunities”; and “discriminat[ing] against any individual with respect to compensation, terms, conditions, or privileges of employment,” because of the “individual’s race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, age, handicap, or marital status.”
Here is the full letter from Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier to the NFL:
FLAG_NFLrooneyletter
