NFL’s Roger Goodell defends league’s DEI policies, sees the benefits

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell defended the league’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) policies during a pre-Super Bowl LIX press conference with media members on Monday.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order to end DEI programs across the federal government in his first few days back at the White House.

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Goodell was asked about the league’s commitment to diversity at the press conference.

“We got into diversity efforts because we felt like it was the right thing for the National Football League, and we’re going to continue those efforts because we’ve not only convinced ourselves, we’ve proven ourselves, that it does make the NFL better,” Goodell said. “We’re not in this because it’s a trend to get in or a trend to get out of it. 

“Our efforts are fundamental in trying to attract the best possible talent in the National Football League both on and off the field as I said previously. We see that. We see how it benefits the National Football League, and so I think we’ll continue those efforts.”

Goodell said the league’s DEI efforts were a reflection of the foundation of the league.

“I think it’s also clearly a reflection on our fan base and our communities and our players. People talk a lot about the Rooney Rule… for us there’s no requirement to hire a particular individual on the basis of race or gender. It’s simply on the basis of looking at a campus of candidates that reflect our communities and to look at the kind of talent that exists there, and then you make the best decision on who is hired,” he added.

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“So many of us, including the National Football League at our office, are doing that voluntarily at all levels because it has benefited us. And I hear that from companies on a global basis. That’s a very strong hiring practice we’re adopting also.”

With Trump nixing DEI efforts in the government, some companies have rolled back their own initiatives. Walmart, McDonald’s Amazon, Ford and Lowe’s being just some of those companies.

Goodell was asked if there would be any consternation between the league and its corporate sponsors should the companies roll back DEI initiatives.

“We don’t make policies for our sponsors or any of the corporations or networks or partners that we deal with,” he said. “We have a lot of conversations about the importance of it to us. We will obviously take everything into consideration…  There’s a lot of corporations who have been tied to so-called changing their diversity policies and haven’t really called directly about that. There’s a lot of conversations that go on about that.”

Goodell said he didn’t have time to reflect about his role in the NFL’s diversity commitment but believed it made the league better.

“I am proud of it in this sense — I believe our diversity efforts have led to making the NFL better. It’s attracted better talent. We think we’re better when we get different perspectives, people with different backgrounds, whether they’re women or men or people of color — we make ourselves stronger, and we make ourselves better when we have that,” he said.

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“It’s something I think will have a tremendous impact on this league for many, many years. We win on the field with the best talent and the best coaching and I think the same is true off the field.”

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