Brian Flores' lawsuit to move to arbitration?

Dec 19, 2021; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores runs off the field after winning the game against the New York Jets at Hard Rock Stadium. Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

NFL trying to move Brian Flores' lawsuit to arbitration

By Chelena Goldman | Last updated 6/22/22

If you forgot that Brian Flores is suing the NFL, you got a reminder on Wednesday as news broke that the league and multiple teams filed this week to move the racial discrimination lawsuit to arbitration.

BREAKING: The NFL, @MiamiDolphins, @Giants, @HoustonTexans, @Broncos, @Titans, and @AZCardinals have filed a motion to shift the entire Brian Flores racial discrimination lawsuit into private arbitration before Commissioner Goodell, and to "stay" the proceedings in the interim. pic.twitter.com/IOe8vuV6PG
— Daniel Wallach (@WALLACHLEGAL) June 22, 2022

In the filing, the NFL claims that Flores and the other two plaintiffs in the case, coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton, agreed in their signed coaching contracts to let the league arbitrate any claims made against their employers.

This isn't the first we've heard of the NFL and commissioner Roger Goodell trying to move the lawsuit to private arbitration and make it go away. Back in May, Flores' lawyer said in a federal court hearing it was it would be "unconscionable" to move the suit "behind closed doors" and allow Goodell to be the arbiter.

Flores filed the suit in February 2022 citing multiple instances of racial discrimination on the part of the Miami Dolphins, New York Giants and Denver Broncos. He also alleged in the suit that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 a game if he lost on purpose during the 2019 season so the team would have better draft standing.

According to ESPN, it's unlikely a federal judge will rule on whether the case should move to arbitration until late this summer, at the earliest.

More must-reads: