How the NFL responded to Brain Flores amid filing lawsuit against them and three teams

Brian Flores, the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, filed a lawsuit on Tuesday against the NFL, the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos and the Miami Dolphins organizations.

He spoke with the CBS Mornings on Wednesday, and said he went through “ a wave of emotions” amid finding out that his interview with the Giants was what he called a “sham” interview.

“Humiliation, disbelief, anger," is what Flores felt, he said. "I've worked so hard to get to where I am in football, to become a head coach. For 18 years in this league and to go on what felt like, what was a sham interview, I was hurt."

Why was Brian Flores’ interview with the Giants a sham?

The 40-year-old learned that his interview for the vacant head coach position with the Giants was under disingenuous circumstances, because he found out three days before his interview that Brian Daboll was already hired. How?

Flores received a congratulatory text message from New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick that was sent in error to him.

More on NFL:

Flores filed the lawsuit against the NFL for his kids

When asked what made him decide on filing the lawsuit, Flores said he doesn’t want his kids to go through what he went through.

Flores knows his career might be over

Knowing his career could come to an end if he isn't chosen as a head coach again, Flores said that “if there’s change, it'll be worth it.”

Flores also alleged in his lawsuit that the Giants used his “interview” as a chance to "demonstrate falsely to League Commissioner Roger Goodell and the public at large that it was in compliance with the Rooney Rule, " which was a rule instituted in 2003 that requires every NFL team to interview at least two external minority candidates for open head coaching positions.

"It's hard to do what we're doing here because, in doing so, you risk doing what you love, which is coaching the game of football. But being a Black coach in the National Football League, you know there's a little bit of a target on you and you know you have to be better than your counterparts," said Flores.

Ron Rivera praises Brian Flores

Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera praised Flores speaking out, saying: "When you look at what Brian has accomplished and what he has done, there is a lot of merit there."

Amid Flores’ lawsuit, the N.F.L. said it is “deeply committed to ensuring equitable employment practices” and “we will defend against these claims, which are without merit.”