Giants, Dolphins refute Flores’ claims
The Giants said in a statement Thursday that their interest in Brian Flores was “serious and genuine” and they were disappointed to learn he felt otherwise.
Among developments that drove Flores to file the lawsuit was a string of text messages with Patriots coach Bill Belichick three days before his scheduled Giants interview, leading Flores to believe Brian Daboll already had been chosen as their new coach.
Flores’ “allegations about the legitimacy of his candidacy for our head coach position are disturbing and simply false,” the Giants said, adding they didn’t decide on Daboll until Jan. 28, one day after Flores’ second interview and daylong visit with the Giants.
“And to base that allegation on a text exchange with Bill Belichick in which he ultimately states that he ‘thinks’ Brian Daboll would get the job is irresponsible,” the Giants said, noting the text exchange occurred a day before Daboll’s in-person interview.
“Giants’ ownership would never hire a head coach based only on a 20-minute Zoom interview, which is all that Mr. Daboll had at that point,” the Giants said. “In addition, Mr. Belichick does not speak for and has no affiliation with the Giants. Mr. Belichick’s text exchange provides no insight into what actually transpired during our head coaching search.”
The most serious allegation in the lawsuit is Flores’ contention that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told him he would pay him $100,000 for every loss during the coach’s first season because he wanted the club to “tank” so it could get the draft’s top pick.
The Dolphins went 5-11 that year and earned the fifth pick in the 2020 NFL draft. The Bengals went 2-14 and selected quarterback Joe Burrow with the top pick. In just his second season, Burrow has led Cincinnati to its first Super Bowl in 33 years. The Bengals face the Rams on Feb. 13.
Ross said he was driven to defend himself publicly.
“I am a man of honor and integrity and cannot let them stand without responding,” Ross said. “I take great personal exception to these malicious attacks, and the truth must be known.”
He called Flores’ allegations in the lawsuit and a series of television interviews “false, malicious, and defamatory.” Ross said the Dolphins welcome the NFL’S investigation into Flores’ allegations “and we will cooperate fully.”
“I am eager to defend my personal integrity, and the integrity and values of the entire Miami Dolphins organization, from these baseless, unfair and disparaging claims,” Ross said.
Since the NFL implemented the Rooney Rule in 2003 to boost hiring of minority coaches, 27 of 127 head coaching jobs have gone to minorities. This year, white men have filled the first four of nine head coaching jobs with a fifth, Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’connell, expected to be hired by the Vikings after the Super Bowl.
Rooney II, whose late father Dan Rooney was the driving force behind the Rooney Rule, released a statement Thursday defending the rule and the league’s commitment to diversity. Rooney said there’s been “marked improvement” in the hiring of women and minorities in other key leadership roles on coaching staffs and in the front office.
Mike Tomlin of the Steelers is the only Black head coach in a league where 70% of the players are non-white, and there are no Black owners in the NFL.
“This is an outrage at best, and requires your immediate attention,” the Rev. Al Sharpton and other civil rights leaders said in a letter Thursday calling for a meeting with Roger Goodell to discuss the lack of diversity in owners suites and head coaching ranks.
The letter added that civil rights leaders “are being asked to do everything within our power, including direct action at next week’s Super Bowl, as well as appealing to local municipalities that underwrite and give special considerations to stadiums to pressure the NFL and its owners to get more serious about enforcing the ruling law.”