NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to all 32 clubs Saturday morning, calling the league's lack of progress toward increasing diversity among its coaching ranks “unacceptable” and vowing to “reevaluate” the league's current diversity, equity and inclusion policies.
“Racism and any form of discrimination is contrary to the NFL's values. We have made significant efforts to promote diversity and adopted numerous policies and programs which have produced positive change in many areas, however we must acknowledge that particularly with respect to head coach the results have been unacceptable,” Goodell wrote, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. “We will reevaluate and examine all policies, guidelines and initiatives relating to diversity, equity and inclusion, including as they relate to gender. We are retaining outside experts to assist in this review and will also solicit input from current and former players and coaches, advocates and other authorities in this area.”
The memo from Goodell to team executives and presidents acknowledged the allegations made in a lawsuit seeking class-action status by ex-Dolphins coach Brian Flores, after the NFL previously said in a statement this week that the claims were “without merit.”
"We understand the concerns expressed by Coach Flores and other this week. While the legal process moves forward, we will not wait to reassess and modify our strategies to ensure that they are consistent with our values and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion. In particular, we recognize the need to understand the lived experiences of diverse members of the NFL family to ensure that everyone has access to opportunity and is treated with respect and dignity.”
Goodell also addressed a separate allegation from Flores's lawsuit in which the former Miami head coach claimed that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him a $100,000 bonus for each loss during the 2019 season.
“We also take seriously any issue relating to the integrity of NFL games,” the league memo said. “These matters will be reviewed thoroughly and independently. We expect that these independent experts will receive full cooperation from everyone associated with the league or any member club as this work proceeds.”
Flores's attorneys, Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis, responded to the league's statement shortly after its release Saturday morning, saying that that they “suspect” it is more of a “public relations ploy than real commitment to change.”
“Unfortunately, immediately after Coach Flores filed the class action lawsuit, the NFL and various teams reflexively, and without any investigation, denied the detailed allegations set forth in the 60 page complaint,” Wigdor and Elefterakis said in the statement, per NFL Network's Mike Garafolo. “As a result, when we spoke to the national media the following day we made clear that the NFL should view this class action lawsuit as an opportunity to engage in real change and confront the obvious reality.
“We would be pleased to talk to the Commissioner about real change, but unfortunately he has not reached out to us to engage in such discussion. In fact, nobody from the NFL has reached out to us. Absent such a discussion followed by unbiased and concrete change, we believe that a court or governmental agency must order a federal monitor to oversee the NFL as the NFL cannot continue to police itself.”
Flores has sued the NFL along with three teams—the Dolphins, Broncos and Giants—for alleged discrimination in regard to his recent firing by Miami, a 2019 interview with Denver and a “sham” interview last month with New York. The lawsuit was submitted by Wigdor LLC to the U.S. District Court in the Southern District of New York on Tuesday.
“In 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,” Flores said in a statement released Tuesday after filing the lawsuit. “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.”
