Ryan Clark, former Super Bowl champion and ESPN analyst, criticizes the New England Patriots for their handling of the Rooney Rule during their recent head-coaching search, reigniting debates about NFL diversity efforts.

In searching for the successor to Jerod Mayo, the New England Patriots adhered to the ‘Rooney Rule’ — not in practice, but merely in principle.

Super Bowl champion Ryan Clark blasted the New England Patriots on "Inside the NFL" for how they complied with the NFL's Rooney Rule when they hired Mike Vrabel.

Rod Graves, a former NFL executive who worked for teams such as the Arizona Cardinals and New York Jets, said that the New England Patriots did not comply with the spirit of the Ro

Former NFL GM Rod Graves criticized the Patriots' usage of the Rooney Rule by interviewing two black candidates before hiring Mike Vrabel.

It wasn’t in the cards for Jerod Mayo. The recently dismissed ex-Patriots head coach raised eyebrows this year when he chose to hang out with his players on a flight home from a loss while

The Rooney Rule is an NFL policy that requires teams to interview ethnic-minority candidates for head coaching and senior football operation jobs. The rule was created to help coaches who are minorities but ESPN’s Ryan Clark isn’t convinced it’s effective.

Mike Vrabel is believed to be the frontrunner for the head coaching job in New England, and the team quickly cleared a path to hiring him by interviewing former Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich and former Houston Texans offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton on Tuesday.

NFL insiders Josina Anderson and Albert Breer questioned the New England Patriots over a decision to interview two coaches from a specific pool on the same day.

The firings of Tennesse Titans GM Ran Carthon, New England Patriots coach Jerod Mayo and Las Vegas Raiders coach Antonio Pierce are "cutting into the NFL’s recent gains in inclusive hiring."

Of the 19 Black head coaches who have been hired in the NFL since Art Shell became the first to lead an NFL team in the modern era in 1989, six, including Mayo, have had one-and-done seasons. Romeo Crennel was twice fired after a single season.

Robert Kraft stayed true to his word by moving quickly to reach a deal with Mike Vrabel, a former New England linebacker, as the Patriots' new coach.