(Reuters) – Former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores, who sued the NFL and three teams in early February over alleged race bias, has been named senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the team said on Saturday.
Flores was fired by the Dolphins in January and later filed the lawsuit alleging discrimination against Black candidates for top level coaching and management jobs.
Flores, who is Black, also accused Dolphins owner Stephen Ross of offering him $100,000 for each loss in 2019 as incentive to help the team land a higher draft pick and said his refusal to throw games ultimately cost him his job.
“I am excited about Brian Flores joining our coaching staff given his history of developing and teaching defensive players during his time in the NFL,” said Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. “Brian’s resume speaks for itself, and I look forward to him adding his expertise to help our team.”
Miami’s firing of Flores was one of the more surprising head coach decisions following the 2021 National Football League season, given the Dolphins won eight of their final nine games after a 1-7 start.
In addition to the NFL and the Dolphins, the Denver Broncos and New York Giants were named in Flores’ lawsuit, which contended his interviews for their vacant head coach positions were a sham aimed at satisfying a league rule that minority candidates must be considered for top coaching and staff jobs.
The NFL, Dolphins, Broncos and Giants have all denied Flores’ accusations.
Flores’ attorneys said that his lawsuit will continue.
“We congratulate coach Flores on his new position with the Steelers and thank coach Tomlin and the organization for giving him this great opportunity,” attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and John Elefterakis said in a statement.
“While coach Flores is now focused on his new position, he will continue with his race discrimination class action so that real change can be made in the NFL.”
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Hugh Lawson and Pritha Sarkar)
