Brian Flores has filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and its teams, specifically naming three including the Giants, Broncos, and Dolphins, alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices and operations.
The suit alleges, among other things, that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered Flores a $100,000 bonus for each Miami loss in 2019 (asserting Ross wanted the No. 1 overall pick in a draft where Joe Burrow went No. 1 overall and Miami selected Tua Tagovailoa No. 5), and that when John Elway and the Broncos’ staff showed up “late and disheveled” to a job interview in 2019, it was “clear from the substance of the interview that Mr. Flores was only interviewed to satisfy the Rooney Rule.”
Specifically regarding the Giants, however, Flores’ suit alleges that his interview with the team on Jan. 27 was a similar situation – a “sham interview” to satisfy the Rooney Rule – and claims that the Giants already knew they were hiring Brian Daboll, who was officially named head coach Friday evening.
As evidence of that, Flores’ suit includes a text message received from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick on Jan. 24 – three days prior to Flores’ interview with the Giants – that congratulated Flores on getting the Giants’ job, and was later followed up on with this text:
“Sorry – I fucked this up. I double checked and misread the text. I think they are naming Brian Daboll. I’m sorry about that. BB.”
Shortly after news of the lawsuit broke, the New York Giants released a statement basically denying Flores' interview claim:
The questionable nature of the timing does, however, call into question whether or not a virtual interview – which has become a norm over the last few years in the NFL due to COVID – counts as an actual job interview; if it does, the Giants technically would have satisfied the Rooney Rule by talking to Bills defensive coordinator Leslie Frazier in mid-January.
If it does not, however, the Giants could have issue, as all three of the minority candidates - Flores, Frazier (who interviewed in person on Jan. 28, the day the Giants hired Daboll), and current DC Patrick Graham (Jan. 26) - interviewed with the team well after Belichick’s text.
Flores’ suit, among other evidentiary notes, also notes that the NFL now only employs one black head coach and six black general managers out of 32 teams, and only 23 of the NFL’s 96 top coordinator spots are held by black men as well.
You can see the full lawsuit filing here: https://www.wigdorlaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/Complaint-against-National-Football-League-et-al-Filed.pdf
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