New NFL rule could delay coach, front-office hirings until after a Super Bowl
Under the NFL's current system, a team in need of a head coach can essentially officially hire a new coach, who may or may not be an assistant in the league, shortly after it plays its final game of a regular season.
As Albert Breer of SI.com reported, the Buffalo Bills are looking to change that via a rule that would prohibit a club from hiring a new coach before a Super Bowl concludes:
This change would benefit playoff teams with assistant coaches coveted by franchises in need of new head coaches, as those assistants wouldn't be able to interview until after conference championship games at the earliest. It could also provide additional opportunities for those assistants who otherwise may get overlooked during hiring processes because general managers and owners aren't keen on waiting until late January or later to hire a new coach and staff.
Those who oppose the change, however, would point to the reality that a new coach wouldn't have adequate time to assemble a full-time staff and also get acquainted with his roster before the draft combine. It's likely, if not guaranteed, NFL owners wouldn't push the rest of the league calendar back by even a couple of weeks to accommodate this particular rule change.
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