LOS ANGELES – NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell held his annual State of the NFL press conference Wednesday with SoFi Stadium as the backdrop.
There are some pressing issues the commissioner and the NFL are currently dealing with, among them the hiring practices and lack of diversity at the head coach and front office levels across the league. There was also some breaking news about the league's International Series of games.
Here are 5 takeaways from that media session:
1. Goodell opened his press conference admitting the league hasn't done a good enough job on diversity and inclusion at the head coach level across the league.
He said it was frustrating he's still talking about the same issue a year after his last address in Tampa Bay. He said the league has made progress in other areas of inclusive hiring practices, but not at the head coach level, and that's frustrating to him.
"That is something that we're really focused on to try to get the kind of results that we would expect and we fell short of that by a long shot," he said.
The league currently has only five minority head coaches, and just two were hired in the latest hiring cycle.
Goodell said the league will step back and look at everything, including potential changes to the Rooney Rule, and seek independent advice on ways they can improve their hiring practices.
He was asked about the Brian Flores suit against the league for their hiring practices, and said there are some concerning things in the suit he and the league need to address.
View photos of the Senior Bowl on Feb. 5, 2022 in Mobile, Ala.
Western Kentucky defensive lineman DeAngelo Malone (10) and LSU defensive linebacker Damon Clark (18) celebrate during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays (75), Kentucky offensive lineman Luke Fortner (55), South Carolina running back ZaQuandre White (4) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis (7) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Auburn cornerback Roger McCreary (23) and Michigan State fullback Connor Heywood (30) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Western Kentucky defensive lineman DeAngelo Malone (10) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Florida edge Zachary Carter (17) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Western Kentucky defensive lineman DeAngelo Malone (10) celebrates during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Western Kentucky defensive lineman DeAngelo Malone (10) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Missouri cornerback Akayleb Evans (26) and Nevada wide receiver Romeo Doubs (7) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
LSU linebacker Damone Clark (18) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Texas A&M defensive specialist Leon O'Neal (9) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
LSU offensive lineman Ed Ingram (70) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Toledo defensive specialist Tycoon Anderson (35) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis (7) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Tennessee offensive lineman Cade Mays (75) and Kentucky offensive lineman Darian Kinnard (65) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Michigan State fullback Connor Heyward (30) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. (24) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis (7) and Alabama running back Brian Robinson Jr. (24) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
LSU linebacker Damone Clark (18) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
South Alabama wide receiver Jalen Tolbert (8) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Nebraska linebacker Jojo Domann (13) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis (7) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Texas A&M linebacker Aaron Hansford (33) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Tennessee wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. (1) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
UCLA tight end Greg Dulcich (85) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis (7) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
San Diego State tight end Daniel Bellinger (88) during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Quarterbacks Coach Mark Brunell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Assistant Special Teams Coach Jett Modkins during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Director of Sports Performance Mike Clark during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Wide Receivers Coach Antwaan Randle El and Detroit Lions Assistant Head Coach/Running Backs Coach Duce Staley during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Offensive Quality Control Coach Tanner Engstrand during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Tight Ends Coach Ben Johnson during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Quarterbacks Coach Mark Brunell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Special Assistant Don Muhlbach during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Special Teams Coordinator Dave Fipp during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during the Senior Bowl on February 5, 2022. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
2. The league's International Series is expanding.
Goodell confirmed Munich has been chosen to stage the first ever regular-season game in Germany during the 2022 season. FC Bayern Munich Stadium, the home of the Bundesliga champions, was selected as the venue for two of the four International Series games to be played in Germany over the next four years. Frankfurt Stadium will also host two games.
The NFL will also continue their International Series in Mexico this season.
3. We can expect Los Angeles to be a regular Super Bowl destination for the NFL, Goodell said. The game is being played in Los Angles this year for the first time in 29 years. This is Super Bowl 56. The next open bid will be Super Bowl 60, and Goodell expects Los Angeles to be at the top of the list in the bidding process.
4. The Denver Broncos franchise is currently up for sale.
"We would love to see a diverse owner of the team," Goodell said. "Whether that's a person of color, or a female or a Black man, we think that would be a really positive step for us, and something that we've encouraged."
5. The Buffalo Bills need a new stadium. Goodell said the team's current stadium has about a five-year life cycle left of usefulness.
The league would like to see a joint private and publicly funded agreement come to fruition and is currently working with the Bills and the Governor's office in New York to help facilitate that.
