Part of the class-action lawsuit filed by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores on Tuesday alleges the New York Giants only interviewed him last month to satisfy the Rooney Rule, which mandates that clubs speak with minority candidates for positions such as head coach, and that the Giants had already decided to hire Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll before Flores’ meeting.
As proof, Flores says New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick mistakenly texted him instead of Daboll to congratulate him on winning the Giants job days before Flores’ interview. In a lengthy statement released Thursday, the Giants strongly denied the accusations made against them by Flores, but he offered his side of that story during an appearance on “The Limits with Jay Williams” podcast.
“I think there are backchannel conversations and backchannel meetings that are had that oftentimes influence decisions,” Flores explained, according to Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “I think [the Giants hiring process] is a clear example of that. Bill Belichick is a clear example of that. His resume speaks to that. It was clear to me that decision was made with his influence. That’s part of the problem. That needs to change. There needs to be a fair and equal opportunity to interview and showcase your abilities to lead and earn one of those positions.”
The Giants left no question about their response to Flores when they said Thursday: “Mr. Belichick does not speak for and has no affiliation with the Giants. Mr. Belichick’s text exchange provides no insight into what actually transpired during our head coaching search.”
It’s become clear that neither Flores nor those he’s accused of wrongdoing are backing down anytime soon. While it’s only been a couple of days, early indications are that multiple ugly and personal legal battles may be looming ahead for handfuls of individuals.
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