A recently unsealed report prepared by recruiting firm Korn Ferry for the Las Vegas Raiders’ 2024 head coaching search contains language that Brian Flores’s attorneys say reflects racial stereotyping and unlawful retaliation linked to his ongoing discrimination lawsuit against the NFL. Flores’s legal team characterized the document as evidence that race continues to influence NFL coaching hires and that their client’s decision to hold the league accountable has resulted in retaliation.
The report, which was made public Tuesday and obtained by The Associated Press, outlines six strengths and seven weaknesses regarding Flores’s candidacy. Flores’s lawyers contend that several assessments in the document rely on racial stereotypes and undermine fair evaluation. The report was originally disclosed by Front Office Sports.
Brian Flores, a Black coach who played college football at Boston College and previously served as head coach of the Miami Dolphins, currently works as the defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings. He filed a lawsuit in February 2022 against the NFL and three teams claiming systemic racial discrimination in the league’s hiring practices. Fellow Black coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton later joined the litigation.
Among the report’s cited strengths, Flores is described as “polished and a good presenter despite growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn,” the same neighborhood as former heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson. The report notes his ability to cultivate relationships with upper-class and white-collar individuals, referencing a close friendship with a billionaire’s son. Brownsville is a predominantly Black and Hispanic neighborhood, a detail Flores’s attorneys say frames the characterization in problematic terms.
On the other hand, the report lists weaknesses that include criticisms of Flores’s interpersonal skills, self-awareness, and behavior, citing comments from former Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa. According to the document, Tagovailoa described Flores’s coaching style as “pessimistic and adversarial,” which allegedly damaged the quarterback’s confidence. The report also flagged Flores’s ongoing discrimination lawsuit as a potential distraction for a team considering his hiring.
Attorney Michael J. Willemin, representing Flores, said the documents show two troubling realities: unlawful retaliation against Flores for his discrimination claims and the persistence of racial bias in NFL coaching assessments. “The candidate profile prepared for the Raiders leans heavily on racial stereotypes,” Willemin said in a statement.
The NFL did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the report or the allegations. The unsealed document has renewed scrutiny on the league’s hiring practices amid growing calls for greater diversity and equity in coaching ranks.