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Brian Flores’ lawsuit towards the NFL simply took a stunning flip because the Pittsburgh Steelers introduced Saturday that the previous Miami Dolphins head coach is becoming a member of their workers. For the 2022 season, Flores will start working with the Steelers because the senior defensive assistant and linebackers coach.
“I'm enthusiastic about Brian Flores becoming a member of our teaching workers given his historical past of growing and educating defensive gamers throughout his time within the NFL,” Steelers Head Coach Mike Tomlin stated in a press launch. “Brian’s resume speaks for itself, and I sit up for him including his experience to assist our group.”
Flores’ historical past within the NFL, nonetheless, has change into the premise of a high-profile lawsuit filed earlier this month towards the League, the New York Giants, the Miami Dolphins, and the Denver Broncos. The grievance alleges that in each hiring and firing techniques, the group discriminates towards Black coaches.
Flores, 40, filed the swimsuit after being fired from the Dolphins in January after solely three seasons and following an egregious slip-up made by Invoice Belichick, the top coach of the New England Patriots, as Flores was making ready to interview for the top teaching job on the Giants that very same month.
The lawsuit additionally comprises screengrabs of textual content messages Belichick despatched to Flores, pondering he had texted Brian Daboll.
“Feels like you've got landed—congrats!” Belichick wrote on Jan. 24.
“Did you hear one thing I didn’t hear?” Flores replied.
“Giants?!?!?!” Belichick responded.
“I interview on Thursday,” Flores texted. “I feel I've a shot at it.”
However when Flores requested, “Coach, are you speaking to Brian Flores or Brian Daboll,” Belichick realised his mistake.
“Sorry—I f*cked this up,” Belichick replied. “I double checked & I misinterpret the textual content. I feel they're naming Daboll. I’m sorry about that. BB.”
In his grievance, Flores claims that he has usually solely been known as in to interview for head teaching positions so the NFL can meet requirements set by the Rooney Rule, an organizational coverage meant to diversify hiring practices.
The sample of conduct, Flores alleges in his grievance, reveals that the NFL is “rife with racism, significantly in terms of the hiring and retention of Black Head Coaches, Coordinators and Normal Managers.”
Flores will now re-join the NFL payroll as he proceeds together with his case. In his new place with the Steelers, who completed the 2021 season with a 9-7 report, Flores will be part of the one group within the league that employs a Black head coach, Mike Tomlin.