In the United States, there’s no doubt football is the most popular sport, and the National Football League (NFL) is the biggest example why. As popularity grew (and continues to grow), so did the money, to the tune of over $23 billion in annual revenue. It’s sad this is often the case, but what happens is organizations, and leagues in this instance, might have a mission or values in mind at the beginning. As soon as dollar signs enter the equation, anything about a mission goes out the window, and the only thing that matters is making cash hand over fist. Such tunnel vision leads to other problems, like preferential treatment of employees, and if a worker brings a lawsuit against said organization, the latter can normally make it go away with a financial settlement (better known as hush money), or get the case thrown out altogether. Ever so often, leagues will have to answer for their practices, and despite their best efforts to get the notion dismissed, that’s the reality facing the NFL at this time.
Before bringing the actual lawsuit into focus, lets go back to 2003, when the league started a policy known as the Rooney Rule. This policy (named after late Pittsburgh Steelers owner Dan Rooney) requires teams to interview minorities for coaching and front office positions. First, the fact the NFL created this rule shows they knew a diversity issue was prevalent, and this was their way to address it. Secondly, all the rule says is minority candidates have to be interviewed. It doesn’t specify the number, and teams can basically bring someone in just to meet the requirement, without any intention to actually consider hiring him, her or they. It’s hard to get inside the brains of the owners and general managers throughout the league, but one can only hope deciding who has these positions has everything to do with character and credentials, not skin color and gender. Having said that, if someone said there is racism and bias used in these decisions, it probably wouldn’t be out of place. What we do know is there’s at least one current employee who believes race is a reason why he’s not a head coach (which brings us to the lawsuit) in the current climate.
That individual is Brian Flores, who is currently the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. Flores filed a class-action lawsuit in February 2022, alleging the NFL and its teams engaged in systemic racism and used “sham” interviews to satisfy the Rooney Rule. Specific teams named in the original suit include the Miami Dolphins (where Flores was the head coach from 2019 to 2021), New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and Houston Texans. These teams were accused of using discriminatory hiring and firing practices. In an amendment of the lawsuit, the Dolphins are also alleged of an attempt to breach Flores’ contract and retaliate against him for bringing the suit. In a way, it’s amazing Flores is still working as an assistant coach while he has an open lawsuit against his main employer, because that probably would not be the case almost anywhere else. On the other hand, the lawsuit forces the league to act in good faith, because the last thing the NFL money train can have is a legal roadblock that could significantly alter the way business is conducted.
Through it all, acting in good faith is putting it nicely, because it’s not like the league didn’t do everything they could to sweep the suit by Flores under the rug. First, they tried to run everything through their arbitrary process, which basically leaves the final say in the hands of commissioner Roger Goodell. After that was denied, the NFL tried to appeal the ruling, but a Manhattan appeals court said the case could continue through the process. The league would finally take their appeal to the Supreme Court, but even they said this case is going to go through. When a lawsuit is filed, one of two things normally happens (along with the predictable denial). Either the accused is going to say they have nothing to hide and fight it out in court, or they’re going to do what they can to get it dismissed. Seeing the NFL going all the way to the nation’s highest court to get a case thrown out speaks highly about what could get uncovered by this lawsuit.
It’s understood most people measure success by how much money a person or corporation brings in, and the NFL isn’t topped by many in that department. Everyone wants to get what they feel their fair market value is (at least), but is that chase for wealth worth stepping on or over others to get there? For many, the answer is yes, but those who feel slighted from the endeavor don’t forget, and they will come back for accountability in their own way. This isn’t the first time the NFL has found themselves in the boiler for questionable business tactics (probably won’t be the last), but the difference in this case is Flores chose not to let the shield intimidate him. Now, the league has to answer for their actions in a court of law, and accountability is a good thing, regardless of who’s involved.
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