Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores misses out on coaching carousel as he pursues lawsuit
All nine NFL head-coaching vacancies have been filled, leaving Brian Flores without a gig as he continues to pursue a class-action lawsuit against the NFL, Dolphins and two other teams alleging racial discrimination in the league’s hiring and firing process.
The Houston Texans hired Lovie Smith and the New Orleans Saints are reportedly hiring Dennis Allen, ending this year’s coaching carousel. Flores had interviewed for both vacancies in recent weeks.
According to the Houston Chronicle, the Texans planned to hire former NFL quarterback Josh McCown, who is white and has no experience coaching in college or the NFL, “but they called an audible” after Flores, who was a finalist for the position, filed his lawsuit.
“Once Flores filed his lawsuit, pointing specifically to the Dolphins, Giants and Broncos but including the Texans and every other team, he wasn’t going to get hired by the people he was suing,” the report said.
Flores’ attorneys, Douglas H. Wigdor and John Elefterakis, responded to the news of Smith’s hiring in a statement Monday night.
“Mr. Flores is happy to hear that the Texans have hired a Black head coach, Lovie Smith,” they said, “as Mr. Flores’ goal in bringing his case is to provide real opportunities for Black and minority candidates to be considered for coaching and executive positions within the NFL. However, we would be remiss not to mention that Mr. Flores was one of three finalists for the Texans’ head coach position and, after a great interview and mutual interest, it is obvious that the only reason Mr. Flores was not selected was his decision to stand up against racial inequality across the NFL.”
Flores, who was fired last month after three seasons with a 24-25 record, also interviewed with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants. In his lawsuit filed last Tuesday, Flores claims the Giants and Denver Broncos conducted “sham interviews” with him during the 2022 and 2019 cycles, respectively. The Giants and Broncos have both released statements denying Flores’ allegations.
In the wake of Flores’ lawsuit, commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo to NFL teams on Saturday, saying the NFL would retain outside experts to “reevaluate and examine all policies, guidelines and initiatives relating to diversity, equity and inclusion, including as they relate to gender.” Calling the NFL’s results with hiring minority coaches “unacceptable,” Goodell added the league will also call on current and former players and coaches, and advocates to assist in its review.
With all openings filled, there are currently five minority head coaches in the NFL: Smith, the Pittsburgh Steelers’ Mike Tomlin, the New York Jets’ Robert Saleh, Washington Commanders’ Ron Rivera and Dolphins’ Mike McDaniel, who identifies as multiracial.
2022 coaching cycle
Denver Broncos - Nathanial Hackett
Chicago Bears - Matt Eberflus
New York Giants - Brian Daboll
Las Vegas Raiders - Josh McDaniels
Minnesota Vikings - Kevin O’Connell (can’t be announced until after Super Bowl)
Jacksonville Jaguars - Doug Pederson
Miami Dolphins - Mike McDaniel
Houston Texans - Lovie Smith
New Orleans Saints - Dennis Allen
This story was originally published February 7, 2022 at 6:53 PM.
