Panthers head coach search: NFL sets schedule restrictions for candidate interviews
The Carolina Panthers will be searching for a new head coach (again) this offseason. But before they can set up an interview schedule, they’ll need to abide by the NFL’s new interview rules.
The league has distributed updated rules for coaching interviews ahead of the NFL’s regular-season finale weekend. NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero shared the document sent to teams on Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
According to the memo, here are key rules to keep in mind in the search:
▪ Teams are allowed to conduct in-person or virtual interviews with non-NFL personnel at any time (for instance: an unemployed coach or a college coach).
▪ Teams will be allowed to request interviews with candidates from other teams on Monday, Jan. 8. Teams will have until Sunday, Jan. 21 to conduct initial virtual interviews with candidates who are employed by other teams.
▪ Teams won’t be able to interview candidates from teams who didn’t make the playoffs until three days after their season concludes. If a candidate’s final game was Saturday, Jan. 6 they can interview on Tuesday, Jan. 9. Those whose season ended Sunday, Jan. 7 will be able to interview on Wednesday, Jan. 10.
▪ Staff members of the San Francisco 49ers and Baltimore Ravens can interview during their playoff bye week, three days after their regular-season concludes, similar to the non-playoff teams above.
▪ Candidates working during Wild Card weekend can interview virtually during the following week, but those interviews need to be conducted before the Divisional round on Sunday, Jan. 21.
▪ Starting Monday, Jan. 22, teams may host in-person interviews with candidates who are employed by teams who aren’t in the postseason at that time.
▪ If a team hasn’t had a virtual interview with a candidate participating in the AFC or NFC Conference Championship Games before that round, they can’t interview the candidate until after their season has concluded.
▪ Teams can conduct second interviews — in-person or virtual — with coaches working in the Super Bowl from Monday, Jan. 29 to Sunday, Feb. 4. After Feb. 4, contact is prohibited.
▪ As in prior years, teams must interview at least two persons of color and/or women for the head coach position — in person — before filling the vacancy to satisfy the Rooney Rule.
▪ Teams can’t officially hire candidates until their current team is out of the playoffs.
This story was originally published January 8, 2024 at 5:30 AM.
