CLEVELAND — As the Cleveland Browns and Pittsburgh Steelers renew their long rivalry tonight at FirstEnergy Stadium, the City Club of Cleveland is going beyond the game to present a unique perspective on the two teams and the legacy of one of the NFL's greatest owners.
Cleveland Browns owner Dee Haslam was joined by Jim Rooney, son of the late Steelers owner Dan Rooney, for a panel discussion called "Browns, Steelers, and a Different Way to Win." The discussion was based on the book written by Jim Rooney which focuses not just on the Steelers' legacy of success on the field, but also Dan Rooney's commitment to diversity in the NFL. Rooney's persistence led to the establishment of the Rooney Rule, mandating that teams interview a diverse slate of candidates for head coaching jobs.
Established in 2003, the Rooney Rule is now considered a best practice when it comes to diversity and inclusion, and has served as a blueprint for corporate America. Facebook, Pinterest, Intel, Xerox, Amazon, and even the Pentagon have incorporated some iteration of the rule into their hiring practices.
You can watch the discussion in the player below:
