Ex-NFL exec eviscerates Patriots for making ‘mockery’ of NFL’s Rooney Rule
NY Post
In searching for the successor to Jerod Mayo, the Patriots adhered to the NFL’s Rooney Rule — still, one former front office executive is less than satisfied with the mere checking of boxes.
“[The organization made] a mockery of the process,” Rod Graves, now the executive director of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting diversity and equality within the league, said in an interview with TMZ Sports.
Graves, previously the GM of the Cardinals and senior director of football administration with the Jets, discussed how he believes the Patriots didn’t give proper consideration to the two minority candidates — Pep Hamilton and Byron Leftwich — who were interviewed for the team’s head coaching vacancy before Mike Vrabel was hired.
“It certainly can be debated as to whether or not [the Patriots] went through a fair ‘Rooney Rule process’ in hiring Mike Vrabel,” Graves told TMZ, referencing the league-wide mandate that teams interview at least two external minority candidates for vacancies to preeminent positions such as head coach and general manager.
While the Patriots did obey the rule, Graves alleges that owner Robert Kraft and company only ever intended to hand the reins to Vrabel, a former linebacker and three-time Super Bowl champion with New England.
As multiple outlets reported during the hiring process reported, Vrabel was viewed as the frontrunner from the moment Mayo was canned; in effect, Aaron Glenn, one of the top candidates this cycle, reportedly turned down an interview with the Patriots.
It was 19 degrees in the sun Wednesday morning. It was so cold you had to defrost your hair before you could brush it. It was so cold it called to mind something Frank Gifford said early on the afternoon of Dec. 31, 1967, a few hours before kickoff at the Ice Bowl at Lambeau Field.
PHILADELPHIA — The Knicks were missing their KAT, while the 76ers were without a much larger portion of their litter.
SALT LAKE CITY — Sam Carrick has stepped into the spotlight amid the Rangers’ push to turn their season around.
The Mets lost out on Roki Sasaki but ended up with what they hope is a pretty good consolation prize in 17-year-old shortstop Elian Peña from the Dominican Republic.
PHILADELPHIA — You can still debate, with compelling arguments on the sides of wise and ill-advised, about the trades for OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns.
It’s only halfway through his first college season, but already Cole Eiserman looks on his way to being the player the Islanders envisioned upon drafting him 20th overall last summer.
As the reliever market continues to take shape, the Yankees remain interested in a reunion with left-hander Tim Hill and their competition could come from across town.
Karl-Anthony Towns might have made some sour New York sports fans a little angry on Wednesday night.
The Jets have interviewed 10 head-coaching candidates already, and there are another seven they have requested and are expected to interview.
Being a “s–t show” wasn’t part of LeBron James’ career blueprint.
The Jets have cast a wide net in their coaching search, but one of the hottest candidates of this coaching cycle may be emerging as the favorite.
We are in the middle of searching season for the Jets, as they try to find their new general manager and head coach.
We might as well start talking about this now. As early as next Tuesday, it’s at least possible that Carlos Beltran will earn the 75 percent of the vote necessary to gain entrance to the Hall of Fame. And when that happens — if not now, then some year soon — it’s going to be a most interesting thing to watch how Mets fans react.
The Knicks hit the midway point of the 82-game season with the third-best record in the Eastern Conference and the fifth-best in the entire NBA.
The Jets didn’t play a game this past weekend. They, of course, don’t play games at this time of year, having established that pattern by missing the playoffs the past 14 seasons.
DENVER — This was not the kind of loss the Rangers have become accustomed to this season.
It is believed that former Orioles pitcher Brian Matusz died of a drug overdose, according to a Phoenix police report obtained by the Baltimore Banner.
