Together with the NFL's coach and general manager hiring cycle today in full swing, there is a sense of confidence in Madden 21 coins those early phases of the process about the hunts becoming more diverse and inclusive than anything we've seen in recent decades. It's far too preliminary to make any proclamations, however through the first interviews for candidates not under NFL contracts, owners appear to be performing a more-than-cursory job of meeting with varied candidates, and there is an increasing awareness among former and current NFL executives, coaching agents, and among the candidates of color themselves that 2021 can in fact be reflective of the composition of the NFL's locker rooms.

I'd call it cautious confidence, 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 all the NFL in the pursuit of diversity in the coaching and management ranks.

"I think'cautious optimism' is the ideal way to frame it," Graves told me Sunday afternoon. "A great deal of credit goes to (Commissioner) Roger Goodell and (VP of football operations) Troy Vincent for its feeling of urgency that has developed relating to this problem over the past 8-to-12 months."

There's nothing to champion until we see the final results of these searches, but it seems more than lip service is being paid into The Rooney Rule, and there is a sense within the groups doing the hiring that time for words is over -- that this league must be equitable in who gets to sit in places of power within the game, and, ultimately, just the owners themselves can alter this.

Knowledgeable coaches such as Marvin Lewis and executives such as Rick Smith seem really poised at this point to have a valid opportunity with multiple teams.

The league has become more competitive, proactive and consistent with its messaging to groups about the requirement to change how they have been doing business, and I have heard repeatedly from people doing the hiring, and people who represent many of the buy Madden nfl 21 coins top candidates, the nature of the cycle will in reality differ.