Fired Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores sued the NFL and three teams on Tuesday over alleged racist hiring practices for coaches and general managers, saying the league remains B次元官网网址渞ife with racismB次元官网网址� even as it publicly condemns it.
The lawsuit, filed in Manhattan federal court, said the hypocrisy was on display with the chilly treatment Flores received from the Dolphins after he refused to accept a $100,000-a-game offer from the club his first season to B次元官网网址渢ankB次元官网网址� so it could secure the top draft pick.
The lawsuit sought class-action status and unspecified damages from the league, the Dolphins, the Denver Broncos and the New York Giants, along with unidentified individuals.
Flores, 40, was fired last month by Miami after leading the Dolphins to a 24-25 record over three years. They went 9-8 in their second straight winning season, but failed to make the playoffs during his tenure.
In a statement released by the lawyers representing him, Flores said: B次元官网网址淕od has gifted me with a special talent to coach the game of football, but the need for change is bigger than my personal goals.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚n making the decision to file the class action complaint today, I understand that I may be risking coaching the game that I love and that has done so much for my family and me. My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come,B次元官网网址� he said.
In a statement, the NFL said it will defend B次元官网网址渁gainst these claims, which are without merit.B次元官网网址�
It added: B次元官网网址淭he NFL and our clubs are deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices and continue to make progress in providing equitable opportunities throughout our organizations. Diversity is core to everything we do, and there are few issues on which our clubs and our internal leadership team spend more time.B次元官网网址�
The lawsuit alleges that the league has discriminated against Flores and other Black coaches for racial reasons, denying them positions as head coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators and quarterbacks coaches, as well as general managers.
According to the lawsuit, Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told Flores he would pay him $100,000 for every loss during the coachB次元官网网址檚 first season because he wanted the club to B次元官网网址渢ankB次元官网网址� so it could get the draftB次元官网网址檚 top pick.
The lawsuit alleged that Ross then pressured Flores to recruit a prominent quarterback in violation of the leagueB次元官网网址檚 tampering rules. When Flores refused, he was cast as the B次元官网网址渁ngry Black manB次元官网网址� who is difficult to work with and was derided until he was fired, the suit said.
Messages left with the Dolphins seeking comment were not immediately returned.
The lawsuit said the firing of Flores was typical for Black coaches who are not given the latitude other coaches receive to succeed. It noted that Flores led the Dolphins to back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2003.
Last week, the Giants disclosed to third parties that they had decided to hire Brian Daboll as their new coach even when they had not yet had their scheduled meeting with Flores, the lawsuit said.
B次元官网网址淢r. Flores was deceptively led to believe he actually had a chance at this job,B次元官网网址� the lawsuit said, adding that he had to endure a dinner with the GiantsB次元官网网址� new general manager knowing that the team had already selected Daboll.
The lawsuit also cited a message Flores received three days before his scheduled Giants interview from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick, which at first told Flores heB次元官网网址檇 heard that Flores was B次元官网网址渢heir guy.B次元官网网址� But the lawsuit said Belichick apologized and corrected himself, saying heB次元官网网址檇 misread the text and now realized Daboll was chosen.
A message left with the Patriots was not immediately returned.
In a statement, the Giants said: B次元官网网址淲e are pleased and confident with the process that resulted in the hiring of Brian Daboll. We interviewed an impressive and diverse group of candidates. The fact of the matter is, Brian Flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the eleventh hour. Ultimately, we hired the individual we felt was most qualified to be our next head coach.B次元官网网址�
Patriots safety Devin McCourty, who played for Flores and shares a Twitter account with his twin brother Jason, tweeted that Flores was B次元官网网址減ivotal in my career and love that I can support him for calling out what we all already know.B次元官网网址�
The lawsuit also claimed Flores was forced to undergo a B次元官网网址渟ham interviewB次元官网网址� with the Broncos in 2019, when then-Broncos general manager John Elway, President Joe Ellis and others showed up an hour later for his interview.
