🏈 Brian Flores Says NFL Fumbled Race & Hiring Practices

Is the NFL at fault for its systemic racism and quietly allowing illegal hiring practices? Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores believes so, filing a class action lawsuit against the Denver Broncos, Miami Dolphins, and New York Giants, as well as against the league itself. Flores is further claiming that Stephen Ross, the billionaire owner of the Miami Dolphins, pressured him into recruiting a "prominent quarterback" violating the NFL's no-tampering rules. 

• Flores, who is Black, accuses both the Broncos and Giants of conducting sham interviews with him for no other reason than to comply with the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority candidates for open positions. Both teams denied the allegations, says ESPN.

• As for tampering, Flores says Ross pressured him into losing certain games to better the team's draft position, then invited Flores onto his yacht to meet with a quarterback Ross wanted him to recruit.

Getting To Trial

The NFL has managed to avoid public trial in several cases over the last few years. It's possible the league will avoid trial once again with the Flores case, notes ESPN. However, "if he can get past a motion to dismiss," and begin discovery, "then he could indeed get more concrete connections to a racially discriminatory aspect of the individual assertions that were made," stated N. Jeremi Duru, professor of law at American University. 

The Verdict

The NFL has faced criticism of hiring practices, game fixing, and more for years. Flores no doubt faces several obstacles even if his class action suit reaches the courts, yet it stands to be seen if his accusations will create a lasting and significant change in the upper echelons of the league.