The Latest: Goodell: NFL needs to improve diversity
Feb 8, 2022, 9:43 PM | Updated: Feb 9, 2022, 12:37 pm
The Vince Lombardi Trophy is seen before NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell addresses the media at a news conference Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)
(AP Photo/Morry Gash)
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — The Latest on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell’s news conference (all times PST):
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12:30 p.m.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says the league is “not doing a good enough job” in terms of increasing diversity at high-ranking positions on teams and in the league.
Goodell says the league believes in “diversity as a value” and has made the league stronger. Goodell says the league will look to find other ways to improve the policies and procedures and determine what can be done to make sure teams and the league are “attracting the best talent.”
The league has been under fire following a lawsuit alleging racism in hiring from former Miami coach Brian Flores.
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12:30 p.m.
Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL needs to understand what happened in connection with the alleged sexual harassment by Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder.
The NFL announced hours after Washington said the team had hired an outside investigator to look into allegations by former team employee Tiffani Johnston. She told Congress that Snyder groped her thigh at a team dinner and pushed her toward his limousine with his hand on her lower back years ago.
Goodell says the investigation will treat this in the most serious way to preserve the type of culture they want in the NFL. He says he doesn’t see anyway that a team can investigate itself and that the league will use an outside expert. He says they will treat this seriously and move forward.
The commissioner also was asked if Snyder tried to block any details from being released from an earlier investigation into Washington. Goodell says he couldn’t explain the legal agreement, but that he didn’t interfere with anything the NFL did with the investigation and outcome.
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12:25 p.m.
The NFL will play a regular-season game in Munich, Germany, next season.
Commissioner Roger Goodell made the announcement during his annual Super Bowl news conference.
The league has expanded its horizon in Europe after years of only playing games that count in England. The 2022 game will be part of a four-game series played abroad that also will include games in London.
The league will play an additional game in Munich and two in Frankfurt over the next four seasons.
Participating teams will be revealed when the schedule is released in the spring.
Goodell also says the league will return to Mexico City next season.
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12:20 p.m.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says it’s “surreal” to be back in Los Angeles for a Super Bowl for the first time in 29 years after years with no team in the country’s second-largest market.
The NFL returned to Los Angeles in 2016 and SoFi Stadium opened last season as the home to the Rams and Chargers. Goodell says he believes Los Angeles will be a “regular Super Bowl stop” because of the state-of-the-art stadium.
The next three Super Bowls will be played in Arizona, Las Vegas and New Orleans with the game in February 2026 the next one available.
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12:15 p.m.
Commissioner Roger Goodell says the NFL can’t draw any conclusions yet on whether the interview process itself is flawed in trying to increase the number of minority coaches in the league.
Goodell says the NFL shouldn’t draw any conclusions without looking at the process first. He says he doesn’t think they can take anything off the table. But he says if there is something flawed with the process the league needs to know how to fix that.
The commissioner noted the NFL created a database providing owners with information on a variety of candidates. He says the NFL has looked at the process. He says he isn’t taking anything off the table and he believes outside experts can be very helpful to the league.
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12:10 p.m.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell says he’s frustrated that the league is still facing questions about diversity in hiring of coaches and executives despite efforts to improve.
Goodell says the league “fell short” in terms of increasing the number of minority head coaches this offseason with the league still having only five minority coaches after two were fired and two were hired this offseason.
Goodell says the league will bring in experts to look at the Rooney Rule and other policies to see what the league can do to increase minority hiring.
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11:40 a.m.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell is getting ready to hold his annual Super Bowl news conference with the NFL facing questions about diversity in coaching and the treatment of women.
The league is facing a lawsuit from former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores who has alleged racist hiring practices for coaches and general managers and says the league remains “rife with racism” even as it publicly condemns it.
The NFL still has only five minority coaches following the latest hiring season.
The league has also taken over an investigation into alleged sexual harassment by Washington Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, saying the league, not the team, will hire an investigator to lead the probe.
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