NFL effort

Beane, the NFL’S senior vice president and chief diversity and inclusion officer. “Really, with a focus on diverse talent.”

Each team sent two prospective candidates to the program. Robinson interviewed for the Falcons’ GM job and would like to become a general manager.

“We know that we don’t have the representation that we want in terms of head coaches and GMS,” Beane said. “How do you address it? You provide opportunities like this.”

Beane, who is directing this program, used a threeprong approach to help the prospective candidates: direct access to the club owners and decision-makers, direct networking access to the other participants and understanding the business of football.

“There is the game of football, and then there is the operations of football,” Beane said. “But the actual business of football, how is a club holistically run? How is the league office run? Understanding those dynamics which we know will lead to them being even better leaders and understanding the process.”

There also will be 15-minute sessions today for the participants to meet oneon-one with team owners and decision-makers.

“Providing them with the gems, that knowledge to go to the next level,” Beane said. “They are ready at the most senior levels of the National Football League in terms of coaching and the front office, but how can you get that top job as a general manager or as a head coach? That’s what this is built around. We have three hours (when) they will have direct time with all of the club owners to network in an informal and formal way.”

Colts coach Frank Reich spoke to the group Monday and shared what he was looking for from his staff.

“It’s all about building those kinds of relationships,” Beane said. “We fundamentally believe that it is human nature to hire and consider those that you know, those that you’ve heard about and those that you have a relationship with.”

The NFL plans to continue keeping track of its hiring record. “The way that we’ll measure it is I think we need to see the career trajectory of those who have participated in the program and to really track the progress that’s made over the next few years in the roles that they have,” Beane said.

This program is part of a bigger plan to address the league’s hiring practices.

“We’ll make adjustments to the Rooney Rule,” Beane said. “We’re looking at the anti-tampering policy. We’re making resolutions like the offensive assistant resolution to ensure that we are developing a pipeline of diverse offensive talent. There are a number of things that we have to do that will hopefully lead to more diversity in the senior ranks.”

Blank is a long-standing member of the league’s diversity committee. “This is some of the most important work the NFL will do,” Blank said.

He later added, “We must get better. We must be more intentional to be better.”