Former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores’ case against the NFL & teams is going to trial. What do we know?

Amidst revelations about the treatment of Black people across the NFL, Flores’ case could well be the first stepping stone in a long process that will hopefully bring a greater sense of equality to the league’s landscape.

Brian Flores’ suit against NFL & teams to go to trial

According to reports on Tuesday, a federal judge has stated that she will not be changing her decision to allow NFL coach Brian Flores to go to trial against the league and three of its teams in relation to his claims that he and other Black coaches face discrimination. Judge Valerie Caproni’s written ruling in a Manhattan federal court came after both sides in the case asked her to reconsider her March decision. Further to that, Caproni also ruled that claims by two coaches who joined the Flores lawsuit after it was filed early last year must proceed to arbitration, where it is understood that NFL Commission Roger Goodell will likely serve as arbitrator.

To be clear, Caproni officially authorized Flores to proceed to trial with his claims against the league and three teams: the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and the Houston Texans. This of course is the latest progression in a situation that began in February 2022, when Flores sued the league and several teams, saying that the league was “rife with racism,” particularly in the way in which it hired and promoted Black coaches. It’s worth noting that when she ruled in March of this year, Caproni stated that descriptions from coaches about their experiences with racial discrimination in a league with a “long history of systematic discrimination toward Black players, coaches, and managers — are incredibly troubling.” She also stated that “Although the clear majority of professional football players are Black, only a tiny percentage of coaches are Black.” Indeed, Caproni even doubled down on the point by saying that it was “difficult to understand” how there was only one Black head coach at the time Flores filed his lawsuit in a league of 32 teams with Black players making up about 70% of the rosters.

What happens next in Brian Flores’ case?

Though the NFL attempted to argue that a contract that Flores signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers last year, barred him from taking any claim to trial due to language which would retroactively apply to claims against any team, Caproni flatly rejected the idea. Citing the absence of Goddell’s signature, Caproni indicated that the contract was not “valid and binding” unless signed by all parties. Incidentally, a signed copy of the contract was submitted after her ruling, to which she responded by saying, “A motion for reconsideration is not a means to mend holes in the record with neglected evidence.”

Conversely, Caproni also rejected arguments made by Flores’ legal representation, who claimed that the arbitration agreements between the NFL and some of its coaches are “unconscionable” because Goodell would be a biased arbitrator. As per her comments, Caproni indicated that lawyers must wait until arbitration occurs before they can decide whether their concerns do in fact hold weight and whether Goodell “gave them a fair shake to prove their claims.” The judge went further stating that attorneys were in fact asking her “to fashion a specific rule out of whole cloth to protect them from potential arbitrator bias that may never manifest itself.”

Is this a fight that Brian Flores can win?

Though lawyers are both sides were not available for comment, we can still assume that the stakes remain the same. Flores himself stated last year after he filed his suit, that he understood clearly he was likely risking the coaching career that he loves by suing the league, however, he believed that it was a necessary step toward securing a better future for generations to come. Flores is currently the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.