The discrimination lawsuit against the National Football League, led by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, can now proceed in open court.
A federal judge presiding over the matter determined that the lawsuit over the NFL’s alleged racist hiring practices can bypass the league’s arbitration process. According to AP News, Flores, a Black man, sued the league alongside two others in February 2022 after his firing from the Florida franchise.
Although Flores found a new footing in the league, currently serving 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 sought to keep the legal battle private by taking its appeal to the Supreme Court, Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York determined that the case could proceed to 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.
incontent-custom-banner ampforwp-incontent-ad2">“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 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 cited the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Houston Texans for racially biased hiring practices. 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.
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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.RELATED CONTENT: NFL Takes Brian Flores Discrimination Fight To Supreme Court, Seeks To Block Jury Trial