Brian Flores
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Vikings' defensive coordinator Brian Flores received a major win in his lawsuit against the NFL
The Minnesota Vikings have had a rather unique start to the offseason. In a surprise move earlier this month, the team opted to fire its general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, despite handing him a contract extension just last offseason. As for more positive news, though, the team did not lose its defensive coordinator, Brian Flores, despite the fact that he received consideration for several head coach vacancies.
It was a bit of a surprise to see Flores not get another shot at being a head coach for another team, but he surely will continue to receive interest for openings in the future. In the meantime, Flores got a major win off the field this week, as a big update regarding his lawsuit against the NFL was revealed on Friday.
Brian Flores’ Lawsuit Against the NFL Proceeds to Open Court
Flores’ first stint as a head coach came with the Miami Dolphins, who he spent three seasons with from 2019 to 2021. After the 2021 campaign, Flores was surprisingly fired, with Mike McDaniel being brought in to replace him. Reports of internal tension quickly came to light in the wake of this move, but it seemed like the move to fire Flores was fairly sudden.
While Flores has received consideration for head coach openings since then, he has not managed to land another gig. In February 2022, Flores sued the NFL, as well as the Denver Broncos, New York Giants, and Houston Texans, alleging the league and these teams used illicit hiring practices. Joining Flores in the suit are recently fired New York Jets‘ defensive coordinator Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, who has not coached in the NFL since 2019.
Flores believes that the hiring process in the NFL for coaches is “rife with racism,” with the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview at least two minority candidates for coaching vacancies, simply leading teams to set up sham interviews with minority candidates just to fill the requirement. The league initially wanted its own arbitration process to handle this case, but a federal judge ruled on Friday that it will go to open court.
“The Brian Flores-led discrimination lawsuit against the NFL can proceed to open court and avoid the league’s arbitration process, a federal judge ruled Friday,” CBS News reported. “The NFL argued Flores should go through the league’s arbitration process rather than the legal system, but Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York sided with the plaintiffs.”
Brian Flores Sticks with Vikings for 2026 Campaign
Brian Flores, Vikings
GettyVikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores
The NFL has always had a problem when it comes to minority coaches rising up the ranks, and while the Rooney Rule certainly helps put the spotlight on minority coaches who are receiving consideration for head coach openings, they often get passed over for these jobs. Flores is perhaps the most well-known example of that unfortunate trend, and he will get a shot to plead his case in the United States legal system.
As for the 2026 campaign, Flores will be sticking around with the Vikings as their defensive coordinator, despite rumors linking him to a move to another team. Another strong season from Minnesota’s defense, though, could finally help Flores earn his next shot at being a head coach, even with this lawsuit continuing to play out in the public eye.