It has been a couple of weeks since Florida’s attorney general James Uthmeier sent a letter to Roger Goodell raising concerns about the Rooney Rule. Since then, Goodell has not indicated any plans to modify the policy, which has been in place for over two decades. Instead, he has reiterated the league’s stance on diversity and its underlying values. However, Uthmeier has now responded, pushing back against Goodell’s position.
“I don’t think this is about values,” Uthmeier told OutKick and Fox News. “I think it’s about the law. You know, we are not a racist people. I do not believe the NFL is a racist organization. When you look at the composition of the players and the contracts altogether with staff, you have a majority minority organization. So this notion that they need to kneel down and apologize is wrong. They need to follow the law.”
These comments follow his earlier notice to the league regarding the Rooney Rule. Under the policy, NFL teams are required to interview at least two minority candidates for head coach, general manager, and coordinator roles, along with at least one minority candidate for quarterbacks coach positions.
Uthmeier’s position is that the rule conflicts with Florida law by introducing race-based considerations into hiring. At the league’s annual meetings in Phoenix, Goodell acknowledged the rule’s long-standing presence and noted that it continues to evolve. He also framed the issue as a difference in perspective on league values.
“One thing that doesn’t change is our values and we believe in diversity and its benefit to the National Football League,” Goodell said. “We are well aware of the laws and where the laws are changing and evolving. We think the Rooney Rule is consistent with those and we certainly will engage with the Florida AG or anybody else as we have in the past to talk about our policies.”
Now, the discussion has shifted further. Uthmeier has doubled down on his position, maintaining that the rule violates Florida law despite the league’s stance. At the same time, he has left room for engagement, indicating he is open to hearing the NFL’s legal argument if it can counter his claim.
“We will likely, in short order, I mean, I’m always willing to have conversations,” he said. “We’ll hear arguments. If they can make the case that this doesn’t violate Florida law, I’ll certainly listen to it. But we feel pretty confident that it does violate the law, and then we will likely soon thereafter file a complaint in Florida state court.”
The scope of his action extends beyond the league office. Uthmeier has also sent letters to three Florida-based franchises, the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Miami Dolphins, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
While the NFL has consistently maintained that the Rooney Rule governs interview processes and does not dictate hiring outcomes, Uthmeier’s argument focuses on the legality of mandating race-conscious interview practices.
For now, the league still has time to respond. However, Uthmeier has noted that he has not yet received any communication from Goodell, leaving the situation unresolved as it moves toward a potential legal challenge.
Roger Goodell has given no official response to James Uthmeier
Ahead of the Super Bowl this year, Roger Goodell had already indicated that the NFL would take a closer look at the Rooney Rule and its broader framework to continue progressing on diversity. However, James Uthmeier’s argument has remained focused on legality, specifically whether the rule violates Florida law, which is why he initiated formal communication with the league.
As part of that process, Uthmeier requested a response from Goodell and the NFL by May 1, 2026. Yet, during his recent conversation with Fox News and OutKick, he acknowledged that no response has been received so far.
“No official response, no sir,” he said, while also adding, “is a little surprising.”
If the league does not respond by the stated deadline, Uthmeier indicated that the NFL would effectively be expected to stop enforcing the Rooney Rule, or any variation of it, on teams based in Florida. He remarked:
“(The) NFL will no longer enforce the Rooney Rule or any variation or extension thereof — which requires consideration of race, s*x, or any other prohibited classification — on teams in Florida. Failure to provide such confirmation may result in a civil rights enforcement action.”
At this stage, the situation is less about interpretation and more about response. The league’s position on diversity remains unchanged, while Uthmeier’s stance on legality is firm. If no engagement happens before the deadline, the matter is likely to shift from a policy disagreement to a legal dispute, making the next step critical for both sides.
