Roger Goodell says NFL is cooperating with the Florida AG after getting subpoena over Rooney Rule

Key Points:

• NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell confirmed the league is cooperating with Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier following a subpoena related to an investigation into potential civil rights violations concerning the Rooney Rule and other employment practices.
• The subpoena, issued on May 13, demands the NFL produce extensive documents, including diversity reports and coaching census data from 2017 to present, and requires the league to appear in Tallahassee on June 12.
• Attorney General Uthmeier has criticized the Rooney Rule, calling it "blatant race and sex discrimination," and threatened enforcement actions if the NFL did not suspend the 23-year-old policy requiring teams to interview minority candidates for key coaching and executive positions.
• The investigation also includes the NFL's accelerator program, launched in 2022 to enhance diversity among coaches and executives, which recently resumed with a more diverse participant pool, including nonminority candidates.
• Goodell emphasized the league's commitment to improving and legally complying with its diversity initiatives, describing the accelerator program as a valuable opportunity for top candidates to gain exposure and advance their careers.