There is nothing to champion before we see the final outcome of those searches

Together with the NFL's coach and general manager hiring cycle today in full swing, there is a sense of optimism in these early stages of Madden nfl 21 coins the procedure about the searches being more varied and inclusive than anything else we've seen in the last several years. It is much too preliminary to make any proclamations, however during the first interviews for candidates not currently under NFL contracts, owners seem to be doing a more-than-cursory job of meeting varied candidates, and there's a growing sense among former and current NFL executives, training agents, and one of the candidates of color themselves that 2021 can in reality be reflective of the composition of the NFL's locker rooms.

I'd call it cautious optimism, as NFL teams begin to submit formal request slips to interview coach and GM candidates. Along with Rod Graves, head of the Fritz Pollard Alliance, which operates with the NFL in the pursuit of diversity in the coaching and management ranks.

"I believe'cautious optimism' is the right way to frame it," Graves told me Sunday afternoon. "A lot of credit goes to (Commissioner) Roger Goodell and (VP of football operations) Troy Vincent for the sense of urgency that has developed about this problem over the previous 8-to-12 months."

There is nothing to champion before we see the final outcome of those searches, but it appears more than lip service has been paid into The Rooney Rule, and there is a sense within the groups doing the hiring which time for words is over -- that this league must be equitable in who gets to sit in positions of power inside the game, and, finally, just the owners themselves may alter that.

Experienced coaches like Marvin Lewis and executives such as Rick Smith seem very poised at this stage to have a valid chance with multiple teams. There is hope that 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh and Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy will have better chance this time around.

The league has become more aggressive, proactive and consistent with its messaging to groups about the need to alter the way they have been doing business, and I've heard repeatedly from people doing the hiring, and buy Madden 21 coins people who represent lots of the top candidates, that the character of this cycle will in fact be different.