NFL
By: Greg Rector
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a lengthy class-action lawsuit against the NFL and three teams specifically, the New York Giants, the Miami Dolphins, and the Denver Broncos. The lawsuit alleges the teams and therefore the league has engaged in racist and discriminatory practices against Black coaches.
Specifics
- Three years ago Flores alleges the Denver Broncos put him through the interview process to satisfy the “Rooney Rule,” without ever having any intention of hiring him.
- In 2019 as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, Flores was allegedly offered an extra $100,000 per loss which would of course mean a better draft position, along with having Flores recruit “a prominent quarterback,” who was under contract to another team at the time. In other words, engage in tampering.
- Lastly the New York Giants last week scheduled to what amounted to a fake interview with Flores again to satisfy the “Rooney Rule.” This one gets another huge name in the NFL involved as Flores shows text messages from Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, congratulating Flores on getting the Giants job, before Flores was even interviewed. Most likely Belichick intended the text message for the coach that was indeed hired Brian Daboll.
Here’s a timeline for the Giant’s situation.
Here is Brian Flores' account of his involvement in the Giants' head-coaching search from the complaint he filed today against the NFL, Giants and others: pic.twitter.com/q4Ak3yC6B3
— Dan Duggan (@DDuggan21) February 1, 2022
The Belichick text a full three days before Flores ever even interviewed.
THE NFL
This is going to be one ugly episode folks. The NFL has had an issue with the hiring of minority coaches as we all know for decades. That’s why there’s a “Rooney Rule,” in place to begin with. However much like the salary cap, it’s looking pretty clear that the owners have found ways to simply get around complying with their own rule. Here’s the statement from the league.
The NFL’s disingenuous statement on Brian Flores suing the league over coaching hiring.
So the NFL already conducted/completed an investigation of his “without merit” claims—on the same afternoon they were filed?!
No matter what they say, the proof is in 100-year-old pudding pic.twitter.com/i2euvaVIhS
— Gregg Bell (@gbellseattle) February 1, 2022
Gregg Bell is totally correct it’s a disingenuous statement at best. I said at the time of the Gruden controversy that the release o his e-mails was far from the end of the NFL’s “Dirty Little Secrets,” well here you go folks, the ugly truth that I have no problem saying as a white man, The NFL Owners are a RACIST, MISOGYNIST, group made up of generally of geriatric Caucasians who have colluded (I am not saying all of them) to some degree to ensure their world remains as white as possible. Let’s remember it’s not that long ago that Dez Bryant during his draft year interviews was asked by the former Dolphins GM Jeff Ireland if his mother was a prostitute? Man, what would have happened if Houston or Pittsburgh asked the Watt brothers if their mom was a webcam porn model? No one would do that to them, but someone working in the NFL asked that of a black player. It still happens to black quarterbacks routinely coming into the league getting asked if they can play or would consider playing a different position, in 2022 that’s still a thing. It’s sickening. It’s February 1st, 2002 people and that also means it’s the start of Black History Month. Good for Flores filing this lawsuit. I said more of the league’s skeletons would be exposed, I thought that would happen in the Jon Gruden lawsuit during discovery, well now there’s a second case where we’re finally going to see the facts laid bare.
The Aftermath
Here’s the real bad news for the NFL, remember how baseball got nailed for the steroid era? Well the NFL is now at a huge risk of having to answer for their hiring practices in front of not just the courts, but Congress. That’s right Congress can go after the NFL for violating federal hiring practices for starters. That ultimately means something the owners love more than their money, their anti-trust exemption is at risk. You better believe the NFL wants this to go away before a trial. Like Gruden, I hope Flores sees this through without coming to a settlement. It’s time the NFL truly enters an era where white, Latino, Black, and yes even Women (Jeff Garcia crying now) are created equitably.
I so badly want to see that day, the day where it doesn’t matter the color of anyone’s skin in the game of football, where people are hired based upon merit. The NFL owners needing a “Rooney Rule,” to begin with is a disgrace and proof they aren’t people who engage in a system that truly believes in treating everyone equally.
EXCLUSIVE: Brian Flores, the former coach of the Miami Dolphins, will be joining us live in studio tomorrow morning, only on #CBSMornings, with his attorneys Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis to talk about his race discrimination lawsuit against the NFL.
Tune in at 7 a.m. pic.twitter.com/VsYr8PCi2G
— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) February 1, 2022
I hope many tune in to watch Brian Flores. This is too important to skip out on folks.
As always you can reach me on Twitter @GregCowboys
Update: It’s being the “Prominent Quarterback,” Flores was asked to tamper with was in fact Tom Brady.