Brian Flores' Lawyers Claim Raiders Memo Reveals NFL Retaliation, Racial Stereotypes

Lawyers for former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores assert that a recruiting memo prepared by the search firm Korn Ferry for the Las Vegas Raiders is proof that NFL teams are retaliating against him for filing a racial discrimination lawsuit. They also claim the document demonstrates that discriminatory hiring practices persist within the league.

The memo, which Korn Ferry and the NFL had sought to keep sealed, became public after a magistrate judge overseeing discovery in Flores's lawsuit rejected arguments for its confidentiality. The document, obtained by Front Office Sports, outlines "Strengths and Weaknesses" for Flores.

Among the perceived weaknesses listed in the memo were that Flores "can fool you with his polish upwards," has "little people skills," lacks self-awareness, and can exhibit "erratic behavior." The document also cited former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's statements, suggesting Flores was "pessimistic and adversarial" and that his coaching style "shattered his confidence." Additional criticisms included descriptions of Flores as potentially "a dictator with players, coaches, and can even be difficult with ownership," having an "unpredictable" personality, and having "failed in how he hires coordinators and staff because he doesn't give second chances or see efforts to improve." One senior team executive reportedly described Flores as "the worst hiring decision we've ever made."

Flores's attorneys, Michael Willemin and John Elefterakis, stated that some of these descriptions conjure the image of an "angry Black man." They further argued that even a listed strength – that Flores is a "good presenter despite growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn" and learned to build relationships through a friendship with a billionaire's son – leans on racial stereotypes. They contend this point suggests Flores achieved his polished demeanor only because he met wealthy white individuals.

"The recently unsealed documents demonstrate two unfortunate, but unsurprising, realities," the law firms representing Flores said 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."

The Korn Ferry memo was created for the Raiders before their most recent head-coaching search, which concluded with the hiring of Klint Kubiak. Flores was not interviewed for the position.

Flores, who is Black, filed his lawsuit against the NFL and its teams in February 2022, alleging that the league's hiring practices were "rife with racism." He was later joined in the suit by fellow Black coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton. Flores coached the Dolphins from February 2019 to January 2022 and alleges in his suit that the Dolphins defamed him.

Should the Dolphins be identified as the source of the "worst hiring decision" comment, it could be used to support the defamation claim. The notes also mention that Flores did have instances of clashing personalities and hiring/firing staff during his tenure with the Dolphins, and that he sometimes yelled at staffers and executives, which reportedly created a perception of him demeaning people within the organization.