Brian Flores used Wednesday as an opportunity to speak out about his class-action lawsuit against the NFL.
Flores on Tuesday accused the NFL of various forms of discrimination and racism. The lawsuit, filed in New York, includes text messages allegedly between Flores and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick that Flores says substantiate his claims of the New York Giants conducting a sham interview to satisfy the NFL’s Rooney Rule. The Giants recently hired former Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll as their new head coach.
You can click here to read our full breakdown of Flores’ lawsuit.
Flores, recently fired by the Miami Dolphins, spoke Wednesday morning during a “CBS Mornings” appearance. The 40-year-old described the time since the lawsuit went public as a “tough” 24 hours.
“So, last week, I interviewed for the Giants (head coaching) position,” Flores said. “I was set to interview on Thursday; the Monday prior, before I interviewed, I received a text from Bill Belichick saying, essentially, ‘congratulations’ on the Giants job. There was a little bit of a back-and-forth. … Had not sat down with the Giants, there was a back-and-forth (with Belichick). I asked him, ‘You talking to the right Brian?’ And, as you’ve seen through the text messages, (Belichick) actually thought he was texting Brian Daboll.”
Asked to describe his emotions upon learning he potentially had been set up for a disingenuous interview, Flores added: “It was a range of emotions. Humiliation, disbelief, anger. I’ve worked so hard to get where I am, to become a head coach. Put 18 years in this league. To go on what was gonna be a, or what was, a sham interview, I was hurt.”
So, why did Flores still take the interview?
“There’s still hope,” he said. “Maybe call it the audacity of hope. I have a belief that there’s good in people — I just do.”
The NFL on Tuesday evening sent out its own statement, describing Flores’ accusations as “without merit.”
The Giants, Dolphins and Denver Broncos, all of whom are mentioned in the lawsuit, also have shared statements.
