NFL to bolster inclusion policies, investigate tanking allegations
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell sent a memo Saturday morning to all 32 NFL teams saying that efforts to diversify the league's coaching ranks have produced "unacceptable" results and added that the league will look into allegations of tanking.
The memo comes days after former Miami Dolphins head coach Flores filed a proposed class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices.
The NFL, Dolphins, New York Giants and Denver Broncos were named as defendants in the lawsuit, in which Flores says those teams conducted "sham" interviews to satisfy the Rooney Rule, which mandates that teams interview minority candidates for head coaching and front office positions.
Flores also said Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 per game to lose on purpose.
Nine head coaching positions were open the beginning of the year. Five have been filled so far, all by white men. The Vikings are set to hire Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell as head coach but can’t until after the Super Bowl. The Dolphins, New Orleans Saints and Houston Texans have not hired new coaches.
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"Racism and any form of discrimination is contrary to the NFL's values," Goodell stated. "We have made significant efforts to promote diversity and adopted numerous policies and programs which have produced positive change in many areas, however we must acknowledge that particularly with respect to head coaches the results have been unacceptable. We will reevaluate and examine all policies, guidelines and initiatives relating to diversity, equity and inclusions."
The attorneys for Flores issued their own statement Saturday:
“Unfortunately, immediately after Coach Flores filed the class action lawsuit, the NFL and various teams reflexively, and without any investigation, denied the detailed allegations set forth in the 60 page complaint. As a result, when we spoke to the national media the following day we made clear that the NFL should view this class action lawsuit as an opportunity to engage in real change and confront the obvious reality.
"The statement made today by the Commissioner is, on the surface, a positive first step, but we suspect that this is more of a public relations ploy than real commitment to change. For too many years, the NFL has hidden behind the cover of foundations that were supposed to protect the rights of Black players and coaches, as well as law firms and experts that purport to be unbiased and independent, but are paid for by the NFL. All the while, systemic racial bias has festered in the NFL’s front offices. The NFL is now rolling out the same playbook yet again and that is precisely why this lawsuit was filed.
"We would be pleased to talk to the Commissioner about real change, but unfortunately he has not reached out to us to engage in such a discussion. In fact, nobody from the NFL has reached out to us. Absent such a discussion followed by unbiased and concrete change, we believe that a court or governmental agency must order a federal monitor to oversee the NFL as the NFL cannot continue to police itself.”
The league said Flores' lawsuit was "without merit" and vowed to fight it. The Dolphins, Giants and Broncos each denied the claims made in the suit.
Goodell says the league would not "wait to reassess and modify our strategies to ensure that they are consistent with our values and longstanding commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion."
"There is much work to do, and we will embrace this moment and seize the opportunity to become a stronger, more inclusive league," Goodell said.