Fritz Pollard Team Initiates Inquiry into Colts ‘Jeff Saturday’ Hiring

The Fritz Pollard Alliance, an organization with a mission to protect diversity in the NFL, wanted to take a closer look at University of Indianapolis‘ hires interim head coach Jeff Saturday.

The organization released a statement on Thursday, “Due to the recent hiring of an interim head coach in Indianapolis, the FPA has initiated an investigation with the NFL as to whether this hiring process complies with the Guidelines. NFL’s recruiting rules to appoint an interim Head Coach.”

League spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN following his appointment to the position Saturday on November 7 that the appointment of the interim head coach did not follow the Rooney Rule, which requires teams The NFL must interview at least two minority candidates for head coach positions. McCarthy said the team would be required to conduct a Rooney Rule compliance search after the season when looking to hire long-term.

It’s not clear what specific instructions are being mentioned. A message left to FPA director Rod Graves was not immediately answered.

Colts owner Jim Irsay, who hired Tony Dungy in 2002 – who later became the first Black coach to win a Super Bowl – said after hiring Saturday, “At the end of the season, there will be a full review process of the permanent head. coach, whom we will have an interview process and start from there. This is eight games and hopefully more.”

He then responded to a reporter’s question by saying, “There is no problem or perception, except that some of you consider it a problem or perception.”