Ex-Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores is causing a stir with a nearly 60-page indictment against the NFL and several teams. ran summarises the main charges as well as his suggestions for improvement.

Munich – At the beginning of January, after the end of the regular season, Brian Flores had to leave his post as head coach. Although he had coached the Miami Dolphins to a positive record for the second time in a row, it was also not enough for the playoffs.

On Black Monday, it was over. The Florida franchise relieved the 40-year-old of his duties – much to the shock of his players and the surprise of many experts.

A few weeks later, the 40-year-old is now making headlines again. And not too scarcely.

On Tuesday, he filed a 58-page lawsuit with a district court in Manhattan. The defendants are the NFL and three of its teams. They allegedly discriminated against Flores and many other black coaching colleagues on racial grounds, denying them positions as head coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators and general managers.

But what exactly is Flores accusing each party of? ran has summarised the main charges.

NFL

Flores accuses the NFL itself of “systemic racism”. According to the indictment, the league is “in some ways racially segregated and run like a plantation”.

And further: “The 32 owners – none of whom are black – essentially profit from the work of the NFL players, 70 percent of whom are black. The owners watch the games from their luxury boxes at NFL stadiums while their majority-black employees put their bodies on the line every Sunday, taking vicious beatings and suffering serious injuries to their bodies and brains, all while the NFL and its owners rake in billions of dollars. “

New York Giants

The 40-year-old accuses the New York Giants of “sham interviews.” He is said to have been invited to a dinner and an interview, although the head coach position had long since been given to Brian Daboll. According to Flores, the Giants only wanted to formally comply with the Rooney Rule, but in his opinion he never had a real chance to get the job.

To explain: the Rooney Rule stipulates that franchises must also interview candidates from ethnic minorities if there is a vacancy.

The “sham interview” was only discovered because Bill Belichick congratulated Brian Flores on his new job – three days before he even had his interview. The head coach of the New England Patriots is said to have confused Flores with Brian Daboll. Screenshots of the conversation can be found in the indictment.

Texts from Bill Belichick to Brian Flores, congratulating Brian for landing the Giants job.

Belichick thought he was texting Brian Daboll. He was texting Flores by mistake. pic.twitter.com/Y686XcjYC3

– Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) February 1, 2022

Denver Broncos

2019 Flores reportedly applied to the Denver Broncos for the head coaching position. The then general manager John Elway is said to have turned up for the interview not only an hour late but also hungover. According to the indictment, he had “drunk a lot” the night before.

According to the indictment, it was already clear from the interview “that Mr Flores was only interviewed because of the Rooney Rule”.

Miami Dolphins

Crassing allegations Flores also makes against his most recent employer to date.

On the one hand, he accuses the franchise around owner Stephen Ross of offering him 100,000 US dollars for each failure shortly after his hiring in order to look as bad as possible at the end of the season and to receive the highest possible draft pick – keyword tanking. But when the Dolphins went on to win games, Ross is said to have been “pissed off”.

On the other hand, the 40-year-old claims that the team owner pressured him on his yacht to sign a prominent quarterback. This was said to have been Tom Brady.

The problem: At that time, the now-retired playmaker was still under contract in New England and therefore not a free agent. Negotiations with him would therefore have been forbidden. When Flores refused, it led to contempt, according to lawyers.

NFL statement on Brian Flores’ lawsuit: pic.twitter.com/LaJVJuw3gS

– Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) February 1, 2022

Claims

In Flores’ lawsuit, however, there are not only accusations against the NFL and the teams named, the former coach and his lawyers are also demanding a number of changes. Examples:

• The creation and funding of a committee to look for black investors to become majority owners of an NFL team.
• To allow black coaches more interviews for GM, Head Coach and Coordinator positions.
• Teams to be required to justify in writing why they are firing or hiring a coach.
• To create and fund a training programme for low level black coaches to enable them to progress towards Coordinator posts.
• The creation of incentives for the hiring of black GMs, head coaches and coordinators through money, draft picks or compensation of other kinds.
• Full transparency of salaries of said positions.

Flores, meanwhile, is not sure he has not harmed himself with his indictment. “In my decision to file the class action today, I realise that I may be putting my coaching job on the line in this sport that I love so much and that has done so much for my family and me,” he explained.

Still, a job could be on the cards soon. Flores was interviewed by the New Orleans Saints on Tuesday for the job of Sean Payton’s successor, and he has already made two appearances with the Houston Texans.