Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores has spent the last two weeks interviewing with other organizations with the hopes of being offered a head coaching position.
Now, after going through this process, Flores is filing a lawsuit against the NFL, as well as the New York Giants, Denver Broncos and Dolphins.
In the 58-page document, Flores alleges that the Giants had disclosed to third parties that they were hiring Brian Daboll when Flores still had an interview set with the team. The document states that it was an “interview that was held for no reason other than for the Giants to demonstrate falsely to the League Commissioner Roger Goodell and the public at large that it was in compliance with the Rooney Rule.”
Flores included texts from his former boss and head coach of the New England Patriots, Bill Belichick, that implied Belichick had been made aware the Giants were going with Daboll before Flores was interviewed.
Former #Dolphins HC Brian Flores is suing the NFL and the Giants alleging racism in their hiring process. Flores has texts from Bill Belichick congratulating him for getting the job — but Flores had yet to interview. The text was meant for Brian Daboll. https://t.co/gmPUw9gHIq pic.twitter.com/tyTztTf3br
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) February 1, 2022
In 2019, Flores also alleges that he met with then-general manager John Elway, as well as president and chief executive officer Joe Ellis of the Broncos. According to the document, “they looked completely disheveled, and it was obvious that they had been drinking heavily the night before.”
The coach believed that this interview was once again a sham used to satisfy the Rooney Rule prior to the organization hiring Vic Fangio.
From the complaint:
Incredibly, this was not Mr. Flores’ first sham interview that was held only in an effort to comply with the Rooney Rule. Indeed, in 2019 Mr. Flores was scheduled to interview with the Denver Broncos. However, the Broncos’ then-General Manager, John Elway, President and Chief Executive Officer Joe Ellis and others, showed up an hour late to the interview. They looked completely disheveled, and it was obvious that they had drinking heavily the night before. It was clear from the substance of the interview that Mr. Flores was interviewed only because of the Rooney Rule, and that the Broncos never had any intention to consider him as a legitimate candidate for the job. Shortly thereafter, Vic Fangio, a white man, was hired to be the Head Coach of the Broncos.
Flores was fired by the Dolphins following the 2021 season and is currently seeking a head coaching job with another team.
