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The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York concluded Friday that the ongoing discrimination case brought by Brian Flores, Steve Wilks and Ray Horton against the NFL will continue in open court.
Four years ago, Flores sued the NFL, alleging the league was “rife with racism” when it came to its coaching hiring practices. Wilks and Horton joined the lawsuit after Flores’ initial trial.
“The court’s decision recognizes that an arbitration forum in which the defendant’s own chief executive could decide the matter would deprive employees of their rights under the law,” attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and David E. Gottlieb said, via ESPN.
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Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores watches the fourth quarter of a game against the Green Bay Packers at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on January 4, 2026. (Matt Blewett/Imagn Images)
“It is long past time for the NFL to recognize this and finally provide a fair, neutral and transparent forum for these issues to be addressed.”
The NFL fought to have the matter submitted to private arbitration, which would have allowed commissioner Roger Goodell to act as judge.
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Defensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings looks on before a game between the Minnesota Vikings and the Green Bay Packers at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota on December 29, 2024. (Hemmelgarn interview/Getty Images)
Flores has sued the NFL, the Miami Dolphins, the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos and the Houston Texans. Wilks’ claims are against the Arizona Cardinals and Ray Horton’s claims are against the Tennessee Titans.
Flores alleged that NFL teams frequently interviewed black head coaching candidates to satisfy the Rooney Rule, conducting “mock interviews.” The Rooney Rule requires teams to interview two external minority candidates for management positions.
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Defensive coordinator Brian Flores of the Minnesota Vikings during a game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field in Seattle on November 30, 2025. (Steph Chambers/Getty Images)
Wilks said he was treated like a “bridge coach” during his one-year tenure as Cardinals head coach and was not given enough opportunities to win his case in a complaint obtained by PK Press Club Digital.
Horton alleged he was part of a “sham” interview process when he interviewed for the Titans job in 2016.
