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If Roger Goodell hoped a memo that acknowledged the dearth of black head coaches in the NFL is “unacceptable” would help the league’s fight against Brian Flores, the fired Dolphins coach’s new team (of lawyers) fought back quickly.
About an hour after Goodell’s statement, which announced independent personnel would examine the processes that have led to one active black head coach (Pittsburgh’s Mike Tomlin) in the league, Flores’ attorneys accused the commissioner of a “public relations ploy.”
In a statement of their own, Flores’ attorneys pointed out that Goodell’s memo came four days after the league “reflexively, and without any investigation,” denied Flores’ allegations that center upon a racist hiring pattern. Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the league and all 32 teams on Tuesday.
“The statement made today by the Commissioner is, on the surface, a positive first step, but we suspect that this is more of a public relations ploy than real commitment to change,” Doug Wigdor and John Elefterakis said. “For too many years, the NFL has hidden behind the cover of foundations that were supposed to protect the rights of Black players and coaches, all while letting systemic racial bias fester in its front offices.
“The NFL is now rolling out the same playbook yet again and that is precisely why this lawsuit was filed.”
In his memo, Goodell said the league has made “significant efforts to promote diversity,” but admitted that the efforts have not made enough of a difference.
“We would be pleased to talk to the Commissioner about real change, but unfortunately he has not reached out to us to engage in such a discussion,” the attorneys said. “In fact, nobody from the NFL has reached out to us. Absent such a discussion followed by unbiased and concrete change, we believe that a court or governmental agency must order a federal monitor to oversee the NFL as the NFL cannot continue to police itself.”
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