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RACISM + SPORTS
The NFL Profits From Black Men But Refuses to Respect Their Leadership
This lawsuit was a long time coming. Let's unpack this.
On Tuesday, former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the National Football League and its 32 teams, claiming that he experienced racial discrimination. This suit has been a long time coming because, let's face it, Black men are underrepresented in team leadership and front office positions.
In certain critical ways, the NFL is racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation. Its 32 owners — none of whom are Black — profit substantially from the labor of NFL players, 70% of whom are Black (Complaint Against National Football League).
Flores namedropped his former team, the Miami Dolphins, and the New York Giants in the lawsuit. But, the biggest name in the scandal so far is Bill Belichick, who mistakenly texted Flores a congratulatory message three days before he even interviewed for the position. It turns out Belichick thought he was texting Brian Daboll, the Giants' soon-to-be head coach. Little did Belichick know that this slip helped Flores understand just how disingenuous the Giants were in calling him for an interview. Unfortunately, Black coaches face a double-standard, and…
