MOBILE, Ala. — Brian Flores filed a class action lawsuit Tuesday against the Miami Dolphins and the NFL, alleging racial discrimination in its hiring and firing process, including a “sham interview” with the New York Giants after the Dolphins fired him last month.
The 58-page lawsuit — which was filed jointly by Wigdor LLP and Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York — claims Flores, who was fired Jan. 10 after three seasons in Miami, was dismissed because of his reluctance to “tank” during the 2019 NFL season and his unwillingness “to recruit a prominent quarterback in violation of League tampering rules.” Flores is the plaintiff of the suit with the NFL and all 32 of its teams listed as defendants.
“In reality,” the lawsuit says, “the writing had been on the wall since Mr. Flores’ first season as Head Coach of the Dolphins, when he refused his owner’s directive to ‘tank’ for the first pick in the draft.” According to the lawsuit, Dolphins owner Stephen M. Ross offered Flores $100,000 for each loss during the 2019 season.
