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Brian Flores' Racial Bias Lawsuit Against the League Moved to Open Court
A federal judge ruled the NFL's arbitration process lacks fairness and will allow Brian Flores' discrimination claims to be heard in open court, with all issues proceeding to trial.
- On Feb. 13, 2026, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York ruled Brian Flores' discrimination case can proceed in open court, bypassing the NFL's arbitration forum.
- Judge Valerie Caproni found the NFL's arbitration agreement unenforceable because it lets NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell control disputes, aligning with Second Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals concerns.
- Brian Flores sued the NFL and three teams in January 2022 after his Miami Dolphins firing, and Steve Wilks and Ray Horton joined alleging systemic discrimination against Black candidates.
- Caproni denied the NFL's motion to compel arbitration, calling the league's unilateral control a 'fatal flaw'; attorneys Douglas H. Wigdor and David E. Gottlieb urged the NFL to provide a fair forum, while the league did not immediately respond.
- A pretrial conference is set for April 3, 2026, following an August 2025 appeals ruling that found major flaws in the NFL's arbitration process; Flores filed suit four years ago alleging the league was "rife with racism.
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Federal judge rules Brian Flores’s NFL discrimination lawsuit can head to open court, not arbitration - The Boston Globe
The NFL argued Flores should go through the league’s arbitration process rather than the legal system, but Judge Valerie Caproni of the Southern District of New York sided with the plaintiffs.
·Boston, United States
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West Central Tribune+6 Reposted by 6 other sources
Brian Flores' racial bias lawsuit against NFL moved to open court
A federal judge overseeing Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator Brian Flores' racial discrimination lawsuit against the National Football League ruled on Friday that the claims can be heard in open court, reversing a prior order sending the case into closed-door arbitration controlled by the league. U.S. District Judge Valerie Caproni in Manhattan said the NFL’s unilateral control was a “fatal flaw” because it did not let Flores and two other…
Coverage Details
Total News Sources30
Leaning Left8Leaning Right5Center8Last UpdatedBias Distribution38% Left, 38% Center
Bias Distribution
- 38% of the sources lean Left, 38% of the sources are Center
38% Center
L 38%
C 38%
R 24%
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