The Carolina Panthers have come up empty so far in their search for a new head coach. Now, their search process itself is under scrutiny.
CBS Sports reported Thursday that the NFL notified the Panthers that they had violated a league rule requiring every member of a team’s coaching search committee to complete mandatory inclusive hiring training before the search begins.
“The inclusive hiring training is a key element of our efforts to foster an equitable hiring process,” Jonathan Beane, NFL SVP and chief diversity and inclusion officer, said in a statement. “Any suggestion that this mandatory requirement was not met by applicable clubs will be addressed and corrected immediately.”
According to the report, multiple sources say that Panthers owner David Tepper’s wife, Nicole, had not completed training.
However, the Panthers beg to differ. According to a team spokesperson’s statement, “She was trained prior to participating in interviews.”
CBS Sports reported there is no word on whether the league will punish the Panthers for the violation.
The NFL added the “inclusive hiring training” requirement last fall, as the league works to add more diverse candidates to its coaching ranks. The training session itself can be done online or in-person, and takes anywhere from 45 to 90 minutes.
The Panthers have interviewed or been tied by speculation to several head coaching candidates, including Sean Payton, Jim Harbaugh, Frank Reich, and Dallas Cowboys offensive coordinator Kellen Moore.
