Brian Flores lawyers claim unsealed Las Vegas report contains racial stereotypes
Brian Flores faces unlawful retaliation and bias in an unsealed Las Vegas hiring evaluation, his lawyers said. Attorneys argue the NFL assessment harms the coach during his active civil rights lawsuit.
The unsealed Korn Ferry evaluation became public on Tuesday. It evaluated candidates for the head coaching vacancy with the Las Vegas Raiders in 2024. Flores currently serves as defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
The filing includes six strengths alongside seven listed weaknesses. Legal counsel argued the document shows continued league bias. It amounts to unlawful retaliation for his racial discrimination lawsuit, attorneys said.
“The recently unsealed documents demonstrate two unfortunate, but unsurprising, realities,” attorney Michael J. Willemin wrote in a statement. “First, that Mr. Flores’ decision to hold the league and its teams accountable for systemic race discrimination has been met with unlawful retaliation. Second, discrimination continues to play a significant role in the hiring process for NFL Head Coaches, as evidenced by the fact that the candidate profile prepared for the Raiders leans heavily on racial stereotypes. We and Mr. Flores are committed to eradicating the institutional racism and retaliation that permeates the league, its teams and their partners.”
The NFL did not immediately respond to a request for comment. One listed strength called Flores polished despite his upbringing in Brownsville, Brooklyn. That Brooklyn location is a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood.
The report noted he built a friendship with a billionaire’s son. That connection provided chances to learn relationship skills with upper-class individuals. Another section claimed his polish could fool observers.
The document claimed he has little people skills and lacks self-awareness. It stated former Miami Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa felt his confidence was shattered. It alleged Flores once made irrational demands during an ownership meeting.
The evaluation claimed he once threatened violence to his general manager. One senior executive quoted in the document called Flores their worst hiring decision. The report also warned his active lawsuit could create a team distraction.
Flores filed his lawsuit against the league and three teams in February 2022. He alleged the league was rife with racism regarding hiring practices for Black coaches. The Miami Dolphins had recently fired him as head coach.
Two other coaches joined the legal action as plaintiffs:
- Steve Wilks
- Ray Horton
Executive search firms produce candidate profiles to evaluate professional leadership qualifications. Civil litigation allows parties to review and unseal documents gathered during pre-trial discovery. Federal discrimination laws prohibit employers from taking retaliatory action against workers who file complaints.
The unsealed evaluation was prepared during head coach interviews in Las Vegas.
