Thu, Feb 4, 2021
By The Associated Press
The Latest on NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell's news conference (all times EST):
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2:25 p.m.
NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell says the league is not satisfied with only two minorities hired for seven head coach openings.
The New York Jets hired Robert Saleh, the first NFL coach who is known to be Muslim and the son of Lebanese immigrants, and Houston hired David Culley, making him only the league's third Black head coach hired.
Goodell said he's not sure there's an issue the league has spent more time working with ownership on talking on Zoom sessions and individually. The commissioner says they've talked about the importance of being more diverse and continue considering policies that can help. He says ownership has shown their commitment and yes, they need to keep talking about changes the NFL needs to make.
Goodell says having two minority coaches hired this year wasn't what they expected and not what they expect moving forward. Goodell noted three African-American general managers were hired with more diversity also seen among coordinators.
He says there's a lot of positives the NFL needs to build on and that the commitment is there.
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2:20 p.m.
Commissioner Roger Goodell says an investigation into allegations of sexual harassment in the Washington Football Team's organization will be finished soon.
Beth Wilkinson was hired following a report in the Washington Post that 15 female employees team alleged sexual harassment and a poor working culture in the organization.
Goodell says owner Dan Snyder has begun to make changes and is welcoming the probe.
"They asked for this type of review and recommendations on this," he said.
Goodell says he also believes a dispute between Snyder and minority owners that is in arbitration will "get resolved shortly" and he hopes all parties will be able to move forward.
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2:10 p.m.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said it was an "extraordinary collective effort" to play through the pandemic without losing any games to COVID-19.
Goodell said at his annual Super Bowl news conference Thursday that "there were doubters" and a lot of unknowns. But he said innovative solutions were found through cooperation between the league and the players association.
Goodell said 1.2 million fans attended games socially distanced this season.
Twenty-two thousand fans will attend Super Bowl 55 Sunday between the Buccaneers and Chiefs. That will include 7,500 health care workers vaccinated against COVID-19.
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