Posted by ESPN.com's Mike Sando
Ravens general manager Ozzie Newsome feels as though the NFL could proceed without the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to consider minority candidates when hiring head coaches.
Asked whether he could foresee a time when the rule was not necessary, Newsome said, "I don't think it's necessary right now. There are quality African-American candidates that people want to interview. We did not, when we went into our search, make sure we interviewed an African-American. We just felt like there were African-American candidates we wanted to interview and I think the other 31 teams feel the same way."
Asked about the Ravens' QB situation, specifically who will start in 2008, Newsome said, "If you had to say right now, it would be Steve McNair." But he noted it's only February. McNair is coming off a shoulder injury. Newsome said he's seen McNair around the facility, but the team has not conducted a full medical evaluation to know how well McNair is progressing. Newsome's overall feel, however, was that McNair was doing well.
