NFL plans diversity rewards for teams

NFL owners adopted a resolution on Tuesday that will compensate teams with draft picks for losing minority staff members to head coaching jobs and other premium positions elsewhere.

It’s another attempt by the league to bolster minority hiring for high-level jobs against the backdrop of a lagging record of diversity by its teams.

The gist of the resolution:

• A team that loses a minority assistant coach who becomes a head coach or loses a personnel executive who becomes a general manager will receive third-round compensatory picks in each of the next two drafts.

• A team that loses two minority staffers to head coach and general manager positions would receive three third-round picks.

The measure, 2020 Resolution JC-2A, differs from a previous plan that owners considered last spring that that would have provided incentives for teams hiring minority candidates. Instead, the incentives are granted to teams to theoretically develop more minority candidates.

Pushback to the NFL’s previous incentive plan prompted owners, led by a diversity committee headed by Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II, to formulate an alternative plan.

In a league where roughly 75% of players are African-Americans, there are only four minority head coaches. A similar pattern exists at general manager, with the Browns’ Andrew Berry and Dolphins’ Chris Grier the only Black men to hold the position.

Also Tuesday, the owners approved a contingency plan for the playoffs. If the coronavirus forces the cancellation of meaningful games in the final stretch of the regular season, leaving some potential playoff teams with uneven records and the league with no time to make up those contests, the postseason field could expand to 16 teams.

League officials remain hopeful the regular season can continue with little interruption and maintain the 17-week schedule that would conclude on Jan. 3. And they would like to stick to the original Super Bowl date of Feb. 7.

The first alternative would be to add an 18th week to the regular season to fit in any makeup games. The NFL already has canceled the Pro Bowl, which usually takes place the week before the Super Bowl. This move has provided an extra week of availability if the playoffs have to be pushed back a week. The second go-to option would be to expand the playoff field.

If COVID-19 cases force the league to alter plans and pursue the 16-team field, no teams would have a bye week during the playoffs.