National Football League

Foundation questions Dolphins' hiring of Tannenbaum

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:19 p.m. ET

foxsports

MIAMI -- A foundation that promotes the hiring of minorities in the NFL wants a clarification from the league regarding the Miami Dolphins' hiring of Mike Tannenbaum as executive vice president of football operations.

The job appears to fall under the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to consider minority candidates when hiring for senior football operations positions, said John Wooten, chairman of the Fritz Pollard Alliance Foundation.

"What we want to know is what are the duties and responsibilities of Mike Tannenbaum, because he's carrying the title of executive vice president of football operations," Wooten said Saturday. "And that comes under the Rooney Rule."

The hiring of Tannenbaum was announced Tuesday. A day later, the league said the hiring didn't fall under the Rooney Rule because general manager Dennis Hickey retains the final say over the draft and other personnel matters.

The league and the Dolphins didn't immediately respond to requests for comment.