49ers are promoting diversity in executive positions and this has been beneficial in more ways than one.
49ers executive Martin Mayhew is expected to become the next general manager of the Washington Football Team, a league source confirmed to the NBC Sports Bay Area on Thursday.
ESPN’s John Keim first reported news of Mayhew being hired by Washington.
Mayhew has spent the past four seasons with the 49ers, two as vice president of player personnel and the previous two years (2017-18) as senior executive of team personnel.
Prior to his stint at the 49ers, Mayhew worked at the New York Giants (2016) and Detroit Lions (2001-2015) as an executive. He was drafted by Buffalo Bills in 1988 as a cornerback before playing for Washington (1898-1992) and Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1993-1996), where he played alongside 49ers general manager, John Lynch.
Earlier this week, former 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh was officially announced as the head coach of the New York Jets. The 49ers will be compensated for both promotions from minority candidates for executive positions as part of the NFL’s effort to promote diversity in hiring.
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For each hiring of a minority candidate for an executive role, the original club must receive two compensatory third-round choices that will occur over two consecutive seasons. The 49ers will receive one selection in 2021 and the second in 2022 for Saleh to be hired as the head coach.
If a club has two minority candidates hired in one year they will only receive 1 compensatory choice of the third round for the second contract. This selection would take place in the third consecutive season, which for the 49ers, will take place in 2023.
(If Mayhew had been hired in 2022, the 49ers would have received two compensatory selections from the third round that would take place in 2023 and 2024.)
These choices will be in addition to the regularly awarded compensatory choices that a club would receive for losing free agent players, so there will be more than the standard 256 draft selections in the next NFL draft.
Here is the full resolution:
RESOLUTION 2020 JC-2A
Since member clubs believe that policies designed to promote equal employment opportunities and a diverse and inclusive workforce increase significant league interests, including better decision making, better business performance and representing the NFL as a preferred employer that hires and promotes based on merit; and
Whereas, member clubs have adopted policies that span several decades in promoting these goals, including policies designed to allow upward mobility and advancement for club employees, particularly those in managerial roles and football operations; and
Whereas, member clubs believe it is appropriate to take additional steps to increase employment opportunities and promote minorities and women in key positions, including leadership roles in coaching, staffing and football operations;
It is resolved that the League Policy on Employment Equality and Diversity in the Workplace will be amended as follows:
(i) The employing club of a minority employee who has been hired by another club as their Head Coach or Chief Football Executive (General Manager) must receive draft choice compensation in the form of a compensatory draft choice in the third round in each of the next two minutes for an employee hired as a Head Coach or Chief Football Executive, or for the next three minutes, if there are two employees hired for both positions. The reference to hiring employees for “both positions” can be from the same club or from different clubs. The following applies to draft choice compensation:
an. Any compensatory draft choices granted under this Policy will be at the end of the third round after all compensatory draft choices given to clubs in accordance with Appendix V of the NFL-NFLPA Collective Bargaining Agreement.
B. If multiple clubs are awarded compensatory draft choices under this Policy, then the order of those choices at the end of the third round will follow the original selection order for that draft established prior to any negotiations or other adjustments.
(ii) The club-employer will be eligible to receive this Project choice compensation if:
an. The minority employee hired as Head Coach or Chief Football Executive has been hired by the employing club for at least two full seasons; and
B. The minority employee is not the head coach or chief football executive of the employing club and is hired for the same position as the new club. There can be no interruption in employment between clubs.