Buffalo Bills interim head coach Anthony Lynn isn’t a big fan of the Rooney Rule that requires NFL teams to interview minority candidates for head coaching jobs. Lynn is African-American.
“I’ve never said I’m opposed to it; I’ve never said I’m against it,” Lynn told Breitbart Sports on Wednesday. “I’m opposed and against how some people use the Rooney Rule. I do think some teams have taken advantage of the spirit and they just check the box and I don’t want to be a part of that.”
Started in 2003, the Rooney Rule was named after Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney, the chairman of the league’s diversity committee.
Lynn, who replaced Rex Ryan as Bills head coach this week on an interim basis, had some past interviews thanks to the Rooney Rule. Last year, he interviewed with the Miami Dolphins and San Francisco 49ers for their head-coaching job. However, Lynn turned down other interviews because he believed the teams set them up just to fulfill the Rooney Rule and not based on legitimate interest.
“I think sometimes people do that to check the box,” Lynn said about some Rooney Rule-driven interviews. “I don’t agree with it.”
But it looks like Lynn won’t have to deal with any Rooney Rule interviews after this season. Word out of Buffalo is that he’s the leading candidate to get the Bills job full-time.
“There’s every indication from within One Bills Drive that they’re settled on sticking with Anthony Lynn beyond the interim head coach status he has for Sunday’s season-finale against the New York Jets,” wrote Buffalo News NFL columnist Vic Carucci on Wednesday.
So Lynn likely won’t have to deal with any box-checking interviews any time soon.
But it looks like teams might have to check extra boxes moving forward as the NFL considers expanding the Rooney Rule to coordinator openings.
But perhaps Lynn has the best idea for filling coaching vacancies.
“Hire the best man for the job,” Lynn said.
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