Denver Broncos: The Breakdown of Brian Flores’ lawsuit

Earlier this week, the Denver Broncos were named in a lawsuit against the league by coach Brian Flores. Let’s break down the allegations.

The Denver Broncos certainly are not off on the right foot in new head coach Nathaniel Hackett‘s first full week with the team. In his first week on the job, the team must deal with the franchise being named in the lawsuit against the league by coach Brian Flores, who appears to have been overlooked in this coaching cycle prior to filing the suit.

According to ESPN, Flores, who was surprisingly fired by the Miami Dolphins at the conclusion of the 2021 NFL season, filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and three franchises–The New York Giants, Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos.

Flores alleges malpractice by the Miami Dolphins, specifically, that owner Stephen Ross wanted Flores to intentionally lose games in order to secure a better draft position, amongst other related issues brought to light by Flores.

As for the Giants and Broncos, their involvement in the lawsuit surrounds the implemented Rooney Rule, an NFL practice put into place to give minority chances a better opportunity at a head coaching or general manager position. As of right now, the only active African American head coach in the NFL is Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin.

Flores alleges that both the New York Giants and Denver Broncos simply used Flores to “check their boxes” of the requirement of interviewing a minority candidate in their interviewing process.

Upon the firing of Vic Fangio, much of Broncos Country felt that Brian Flores would be worth interviewing once more. His sudden termination in Miami was shocking to the football world, especially considering the positive relationships he was known to have with his players, and what he had accomplished in his time with Miami, with an above .500 record in two out of three seasons with the team.

Considering the competitive nature of the current AFC East and the Miami Dolphins’ roster, Brian Flores really enjoyed significant success with the team.

When it comes to the Broncos, Flores cites the manner of the interview serves as grounds for the belief that he was only brought in to satisfy the Rooney Rule. According to Flores, Broncos executives (notably John Elway) arrived to the scheduled interview an hour late and believed them to be hungover.

John Elway was quick to address these allegations on social media, as were the Denver Broncos.

"“I took Coach Flores very seriously as a candidate for our head coaching position in 2019 and enjoyed our three-and-a-half hour interview with him. Along with the rest of our group, I was prepared, ready and fully engaged during the entire interview as Brian shared his experience and vision for our team. It’s unfortunate and shocking to learn for first time this week that Brian felt differently about our interview with him.-John Elway"

(per Bleacher Report).

In their own statement, the team makes reference to their detailed notes and logs about the interview. Certainly, this is mentioned to conflict with Flores’ allegations that the Broncos were not serious about the interview.

So, what does being named in this lawsuit mean for the Denver Broncos? Two of the biggest faces mentioned in the lawsuit are former GM John Elway and President Joe Ellis. Of course, Elway stepped away from his role as GM prior to the 2021 season, assisting in the selection of George Paton to take his place.

While Elway is still President of Football Operations, he has been in a transition away from the team. Joe Ellis is also likely on his way out, upon expressing in 2021 that he did not intend to renew his contract once it expired in 2022.

Though Elway is transitioning out of his employment with the Denver Broncos, he is expected to be heavily involved in the bid of the sale of the Broncos. Prior to the lawsuit, Elway’s group was considered an early favorite by many. Certainly, Elway’s plans to make a bid on the team could be in jeopardy.

Brian Flores’ lawsuit is already making waves, with Roger Goodell issuing a statement from the league addressing racial inequity in the NFL, deeming current practices ‘unacceptable’.

There could be many implications depending on the outcome of this lawsuit. The league could see a modification of the current Rooney Rule, and the Denver Broncos could be one of the teams that find themselves suffering consequences, though what those could look like is still unknown.

If the suit is unable to produce sufficient evidence, it could even be dismissed. However, one of the most prominent implications of this lawsuit for the Denver Broncos at this point is their ownership. If Flores’ statement is able to be confirmed, John Elway’s chance at ownership would be slim to none.

Of course, this lawsuit could be a lengthy court process, so this certainly will be a story to keep an eye on.