Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL, Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and Denver Broncos rocked the football-watching world this week.
Two days removed from it being announced, ripples from the claims made within the lawsuit are still being felt.
Specifically, the ramifications of Flores’ allegation that Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for each loss in an effort to improve the team’s draft position, coupled with ex-Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson suggesting the same happened to him, have yet to truly be felt.
But that may soon change.
According to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, the “Sports Bribery Act” criminalizes paying off team personnel in the manner described above. That could mean big trouble for both Ross and Browns owner Jimmy Haslam should the accusations made against them turn out to be true.
“Based on the language of the statute, it doesn’t matter whether the offer is accepted,” he wrote.
“Liability arises if the person ‘carries into effect’ the scheme or ‘attempts to carry into effect’ the bribe. The mere offer of $100,000 to Flores, without more, would constitute a violation by Ross. As to the Browns, acceptance of the inducement and acting on it would potentially extend criminal responsibility beyond Haslam.”
Complicating matters even further is the fact that, in the case of Flores’ allegations against Ross, at least one witness seems to exist that can corroborate that the attempted bribing took place.
Yikes.
This is an ugly, ugly situation, especially considering the real reason Flores filed the lawsuit to begin with.
Even Tom Brady has been unable to escape getting embroiled in it.
Based on everything that has come out thus far, it feels like this matter is going to get a whole lot worse before it gets better.
Stay tuned – this promises to be a bumpy ride.
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