The Jets interviewed Mike Locksley for the Rooney rule. People think because they interview a ton of people they satisfy the Rooney rule. It has to be in person so that limits the people. Locksley is not getting the job.Locksley is not going to the NFL. HE was a short drive away for an in-person interview.
Bears interviewed the interim who had no chance at the job, was already interviewing for assistant jobs elsewhere. Solely to check the Rooney rule box.
Patriots interviewed 2 guys that want to get back into the NFL. They actually might get some benefit out of the interviews as their names are back in the forefront which is what the Rooney rule is about. To further careers, not to hire them for that position. The few qualified guys are going to get interviews, it's the next level of guys that can't get there because they don't get the opportunity to show they can move up.
Patriots 100% were in the spirit of the Rooney rule. Bears and Jets solely checked a box and could care less that it had no benefit to the guys they did it with.
Process? They had 2 clear top candidates, they interviewed them. Should I interview Patrick Mahomes and Tom Brady for my QB position but also then interview Brock Purdy, that's dumb. If these other teams knew they could have Vrabel or Johnson for sure they wouldn't be doing all these interviews.