Brian Flores' Lawyer Does Not Want Roger Goodell Presiding Over Case
Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores is suing the NFL for allegedly using racially-charged hiring practices that prohibited African-American coaches from reaching high-ranking jobs in the League, namely head-coaching positions.
Legal representation on behalf of Flores and two African-American NFL coaches — former Arizona Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks and former Tennesee Titans defensive coordinator Ray Horton — released a 25-page brief calling out the League's handling of the arbitration, noting that assigning Goodell to handle the lawsuit hearing interferes with a fair evaluation of the case.
"If the court compels arbitration, scores of employers following this case, and those who learn of it, will undoubtedly change their arbitration clauses to permit the appointment of an obviously biased decision maker," Flores' lawyers shared on Wednesday, via Reuters.
Wilks joined the lawsuit after alleging that the Arizona Cardinal s set him up to fail as a bridge head coach in 2018, finishing the year 3-13, as a buffer until the team hired former Texas Tech coach Kliff Kingsbury.
Horton worked for the Titans as defensive coordinator for two seasons (2014-15). Despite being interviewed for the Titan's head-coaching gig, Horton claims that the team had their minds set on hiring Mike Mularkey from the jump.
The federal class-action lawsuit, started by former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores, will now include separate accounts of alleged discrimination against Wilks and Horton.
Stay tuned with OutKick as the story develops.