The New York Giants released a statement following Brian Flores discrimination lawsuit that alleges, among other things, the team only interviewed the former Miami Dolphins coach to appease the Rooney Rule after they had already selected (though not officially hired) their next head coach, Brian Daboll.
Flores’ evidence included a text message exchange with Patriots coach Bill Belichick, who accidentally congratulated Brian Flores for landing the job before his official interview, only to realize he meant to text Daboll, the coach the Giants allegedly wanted. The fact that the Giants had honed in on Daboll prior to Flores’ interview indicated his was a sham.
Here’s how the Giants responded.
“The allegation that the Giants’ decision had been made prior to Friday evening, January 28, is false,” the Giants said in a statement. “And to base that allegation on a text exchange with Bill Belichick in which he ultimately states that he ‘thinks’ Brian Daboll would get the job is irresponsible. The text exchange occurred the day before Coach Daboll’s in-person interview even took place. Giants’ ownership would never hire a head coach based only on a 20-minute zoom interview, which is all that Mr. Daboll had at that point.
“In addition, Mr. Belichick does not speak for and has no affiliation with the Giants. Mr. Belichick’s text exchange provides no insight into what actually transpired during our head coaching search.”
