Brian Flores has filed a lawsuit accusing the NFL of racial discrimination.

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In a high-profile lawsuit, the NFL is accused of racial discrimination.

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Brian Flores, the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins, sued the NFL and each of its 32 teams, alleging racial discrimination in their hiring practices for Black coaches. The suit, which was filed as a proposed class action, specifically calls out the New York Giants, Denver Broncos, and the Dolphins—the latter of which recently fired Flores after two straight winning seasons—for discriminatory practices. Some examples: The lawsuit accuses Dolphins owner Stephen Ross of bribing Flores to have the team “tank” (offering him $100,000 for each loss) ahead of the 2019 season in order to secure a better draft pick. Flores accused the Giants of conducting a “sham” interview with him in order to fulfill the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview Black applicants for open positions. The Giants responded that Flores was in the conversation “until the eleventh hour” before they went with someone else. Flores claims that he was also not taken seriously as a candidate for the Denver Broncos head coaching position when he interviewed there. Then-general manager John Elway and others in his crew allegedly showed up to the interview an hour late and seemed like they were hungover. The Broncos said the accusations were "blatantly false." Big picture: The NFL has long been criticized for the lack of minority representation in its coaching ranks. Despite ~70% of the league's players being Black, it currently has only one Black head coach. In a statement, the NFL responded that “diversity is core to everything we do” and it will “defend against these claims, which are without merit.” What does Flores want? Among other changes, he’s asked a judge for... Unspecified damages. More pay transparency for GMs, head coaches, and coordinators. More Black people involved in the hiring process and more objectivity in the hiring/firing of coaches and front office roles. Bottom line: Flores acknowledged in a statement that he is risking future career opportunities in the NFL by suing the league. “My sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the NFL, others will join me to ensure that positive change is made for generations to come,” he said.—NF