Dallas Cowboys: Understanding the Anti-Trust Rules and Coaches

There have been some changes and misunderstandings when it comes to hiring coaches in the NFL. Now that the Dallas Cowboys need an offensive coordinator, let’s clear it up a little.

Before I try to simplify all the legal jargon in the NFL Anti-Tampering Policy and what it means for the Dallas Cowboys, let me provide you a link to where you can find the policy (here). This policy has changed over time here and there, but it needs a massive overhaul in regards to coaches. Something to look at during the next collective bargaining agreement.

Anyway, let’s delve right into the policy. According to the NFL there are two tiers of coaches. There is the simple Head Coach, which is self-explanatory. The next tier is all of the assistant coaches. What that means is an offensive coordinator and a quarterbacks coach are on the same tier. Another example is a defensive coordinator and a strength coach are on the same tier as well. Pretty crazy right? If you want to hire an assistant coach from another team, even if the position looks like a promotion outside of head coach, you have to get permission.

But the rules don’t stop there, that would be too easy. There are even more rules if a coach is still in the playoffs. If granted permission, you must complete the interview within the playoff week up until the divisional round. Hence why Kris Richard was interviewed the Monday following Wild Card Weekend. However, once the Divisional Round is over, you can not request or get granted an interview with one of the remaining teams. Unless there are two weeks between the Conference Championship Games and the Super Bowl.

If a team wants to hire an Assistant coach for a lateral move, and that team makes it to the Super Bowl, they can’t request an interview until after the Super Bowl. The only way to get that initial interview is if you are taking an Assistant and making him your head coach.

What does that all mean? Well, if the Dallas Cowboys want to interview Dan Campbell from New Orleans to be their OC, they have to either hope the Saints lose, or they will have to wait until the Super Bowl to interview him (at least according to the policy). Pretty crazy right? Oh and the assistant head coaching designation makes no difference on what is considered a lateral move, you are an assistant, any assistant job you want is lateral.