NFL Diversity Hiring Plan Draws Warning of Unintended Consequences

Sportico

BY EBEN NOVY-WILLIAMS

A new NFL diversity plan, which needs further approval, "would give a pair of late-third round draft picks to any team that has candidates from underrepresented backgrounds hired away to become head coaches or GMs elsewhere."

"Does your reward in signing this new head coach or GM offset the economic benefit you perceive another team receiving because of your action?” said Kenneth Shropshire, CEO of the Global Sports Institute at Arizona State University in response.

Later, Dr. Shropshire elaborates further:

"...On the whole, I think the impact is modest, but you do now include that element in your decision tree (e.g. am I giving this to a division rival or a team that has little impact on my success?). You could also argue, on the negative, that this is now an affirmative action incentive to hire and develop young coaches of color so that you can later receive the economic reward. Young coaches of color and otherwise could rebel regarding that point too. I think we end here, as the best possible path, because direct benefit to the signing team was not well received. The league, and those thinking long on this issue, know that something artificial is needed to jump start the system. As with all equity strategies, workplace and otherwise, one can only hope they are short lived and effective."