The Raiders satisfied the NFL's so-called "Rooney Rule" before hiring head coach Jon Gruden, the league told NFL Network Friday.
The rule, which has been in place since 2003, requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate before filling senior football operations positions. It's named after Dan Rooney, the late Steelers owner who led efforts to enact the rule to bring more minorities into the NFL coaching and executive ranks.
According to NFL Network, Raiders general manager Reggie McKenzie interviewed two minority candidates — Oakland tight ends coach Bobby Johnson and USC offensive coordinator Tee Martin — before settling on Gruden.
Yet the Raiders' intense interest and quick signing of Gruden earlier this month to a deal reportedly worth $100 million over 10 years had led some observers to wonder if the team had complied with the Rooney Rule.
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The Fitz Pollard Alliance, a group that promotes diversity among NFL executives and coaches, asked the league last week to investigate the Raiders' actions.
Team owner Mark Davis implied at Gruden's introductory news conference that Davis had all but decided on hiring Gruden after they met Christmas Eve, while Jack Del Rio was still the coach.
The league takes compliance with the Rooney Rule very seriously. In 2003, the NFL fined the Lions $200,000 for hiring former 49ers head coach Steve Mariucci without first interviewing a minority candidate.