Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores sued the National Football League, claiming his failure to be hired for the top job at the New York Giants was the result of racial discrimination.
Flores, who is Black, filed a proposed class action against the league in Manhattan federal court on Tuesday. He claims the NFL and its 32 teams have failed to hire Black people for the top coaching and front office jobs, even though approximately 70% of the league’s players are black.
According to the suit, the league is failing to live up to the “Rooney Rule,” which requires teams to hire minority candidates for head coach, general manager and other positions.
Flores claims New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick texted him before he interviewed with the Giants, saying he heard the team was naming Brian Daboll as head coach. Flores says his Giants interview went forward “for no reason other than for the Giants to demonstrate falsely” to Commissioner Roger Goodell that the team was complying with the Rooney rule.
The Giants announced the hiring of Daboll on January 29.
Flores is seeking to represent a class of Black general managers, head coaches, offensive and defensive coordinators and quarterbacks coaches, as well as Black candidates for those positions. He asked a judge in New York to award unspecified damages and order changes to remedy the leagues alleged discriminatory practices.
