The United States Supreme Court has declined to intervene in a racial discrimination lawsuit brought by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores against the National Football League (NFL), clearing the path for the case to move toward a trial.
The justices rejected an appeal from the NFL, which had sought to have the dispute handled through its internal arbitration process rather than in open court in New York. Justice Brett Kavanaugh was the sole dissenter in the decision not to hear the case.
Flores, who is Black, filed the lawsuit in February 2022 against the league and three teams, alleging that the NFL is "rife with racism" in its hiring practices for Black coaches. He was later joined by fellow Black coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton.
Flores, who was fired by the Dolphins shortly before initiating the lawsuit, now serves as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.
The NFL had argued that Flores should be required to go through arbitration, but lower courts have consistently sided with the plaintiffs. The league stated that it respects the Supreme Court's decision, which allows the lower court rulings to stand, but added that it is "fully prepared to defend ourselves as this matter proceeds."
David Gottlieb and Douglas Wigdor, attorneys for the plaintiffs, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. "The NFL must now accept that its commissioner cannot be the arbitrator over discrimination claims against the league and its teams. We look forward to litigating these claims in court," they said in a statement.
Flores was dismissed after compiling a 24-25 record over three seasons without a playoff appearance. The Dolphins had achieved back-to-back winning seasons before his departure.
In addition to the NFL, Flores's lawsuit names the Denver Broncos, the New York Giants, and the Houston Texans. He interviewed with the Broncos in 2019 and with the Giants and Texans in 2022.
Wilks, who was fired as the New York Jets' defensive coordinator in December, joined the lawsuit by alleging that the Arizona Cardinals hired him in 2018 as a "bridge coach." He claimed he was promoted to interim coach after the Cardinals fired another coach but was then passed over for the full-time role, and that the team did not provide him with a realistic opportunity to succeed.
Horton, who last coached in the NFL in 2019, alleged that the Tennessee Titans did not offer him a genuine interview for their head coaching position in 2016.
