Brian Flores scores legal victory in his case against the NFL

Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores scored a noteworthy legal win against the NFL in his ongoing racial discrimination lawsuit.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan on Thursday upheld a previous ruling that will allow Flores’ case to go ahead. The NFL sought to force Flores to submit his claims to an arbitration hearing under commissioner Roger Goodell.

In a statement, NFL spokesperson Brian McCarthy said the league “respectfully disagree(s)” with the ruling and is planning an appeal.

The ruling against the NFL is quite similar to the one former Las Vegas Raiders head coach Jon Gruden won against the league earlier this week. Gruden has alleged that the NFL leaked offensive emails to force him out of his job, and the league unsuccessfully sought to resolve the dispute through that same arbitration process. In both cases, the league has sought to avoid a potentially damaging public discovery process.

Flores sued the NFL in February 2022, claiming that he and other Black coaches face discrimination in hiring processes. Other coaches later joined the suit as plaintiffs, which also names the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Houston Texans as defendants.

Despite the suit, Flores successfully landed another coaching job after being let go by the Dolphins, and currently serves as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings.