Brian Flores’ NFL Discrimination Lawsuit On ‘Racist’ Hiring Practices Will Likely Head To Court

The ruling rejects the appeal made by the NFL to keep the case privately settled.

The discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, led by former Miami Dolphins’ head coach Brian Flores, can see now see open court.

A federal judge over the matter determined that the lawsuit over the NFL’s alleged racist in hiring practices can bypass the league’s arbitration process. According to AP News, Flores, a Black man, sued the league alongside two other others in February 2022 after his firing from the Florida franchise.

Although Flores found a new footing in the league, currently placed as defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings, he and fellow disgruntled coaches spoke out about the unjust treatment of Black coaches. Although the NFL initially tried to keep the legal battle private, taking its appeal up to the Supreme Court, Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York determined that the case could see a public trial.

Flores’ legal team issued a statement expressing gratitude for the court’s decision, saying that the open court process will provide a “fair, neutral and transparent forum” to shine a light on this issue.

“The court’s decision recognizes that an arbitration forum in which the defendant’s own chief executive gets to decide the case would strip employees of their rights under the law,” Flores’ attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and David E. Gottlieb said in a statement. “It is long overdue for the NFL to recognize this and finally provide a fair, neutral, and transparent forum for these issues to be addressed.”

In the original lawsuit, Flores alleged that several NFL franchises did not hire Black coaches in good faith, calling the process “rife with racism” that led to seemingly unwarranted or swift firings. The Dolphins let him go him following a 24-25 record over three years, although Flores did have back-to-back winning seasons with the team.

Alongside the Dolphins, Flores also listed the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Houston Texans for racially-biased hiring. Other coaches in the suit, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, also claimed racism in their appointments and subsequent firings from the Arizona Cardinals and Tennessee Titans, respectively.

The NFL has also not hired any new Black coaches in its postseason, as confirmed by The Athletic. Only Three Black head coaches currently lead any team roster. As for the discrimination lawsuit, a pretrial hearing remains set for April 3.