Brian Flores-NFL lawsuit: Recruiting firm memo filled with racial stereotypes, attorneys claim

In the latest development in the Brian Flores lawsuit against the NFL for racial discrimination, a recruiting firm memo regarding Flores possessed examples of what his legal team labeled as racial stereotypes and talking points teams use in reference to potential Black head coach hires. 

A memo put together for the Las Vegas Raiders by the recruiter Korn Ferry during a recent head-coaching search became unsealed in court on Tuesday. It is part of the lawsuit from Flores — and former head coaches Steve Wilks and Ray Horton —against the league and six teams. Front Office Sports obtained and published a copy of the memo on Tuesday. 

In the report, it was noted that he was “polished and a good presenter” despite growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, the same area as notorious heavyweight champion boxer Mike Tyson. Flores’ lawyers argue the report assumes someone from the predominantly Black area of New York wouldn’t have strong public speaking skills. According to the NYU Furman Center, just over two-thirds of Brownsville’s population, 67.6%, is Black. 

“Polished and a good presenter despite growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn (same as Mike Tyson),” the memo read, via Front Office Sports. “He was able to build a strong friendship with a billionaire’s son which gave him opportunities to socialize and learn how to build relationships with white-collar and upper-class individuals.” 

Flores’ attorney, Michael Willemin, told Front Office Sports that the write-up paints Flores as an “angry Black man.” Willemin pointed to the “polish upwards” reference in his “Weaknesses” section as a racial stereotype that downplays Flores’ intelligence as a minority. 

Other “Weaknesses” comments his lawyers point to in the report read:

• He can fool you with his polish upwards. Has little people skills, lacks self-awareness and can sometimes exhibit erratic behavior. Tua’s [Tagovailoa’s] statements have opened the narrative that Brian was “pessimistic and adversarial” and his style “shattered his confidence.”
• Wants to be a CEO-type Head Coach but micro-manages in a negative manner. Makes knee-jerk reactionary decisions based on the last play.
• Chip on his shoulder — can be a dictator with players, coaches, and can even be difficult with ownership. His personality is unpredictable — not sure who is going to show up. Failed in how he hires coordinators and staff because he doesn’t give second chances or see efforts to improve.
• Needs someone strong at the top to reign [sic] in some of his worst behavior. He once threatened violence to his GM and made irrational demands during an ownership meeting. One long-time senior team executive said, “He may have changed since, but he was the worst hiring decision we’ve ever made.” Another President of a club refused to talk about him.”

Flores, who has been the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator since 2023, following three seasons as the Miami Dolphins head coach (2019 to 2021), has the Vikings out to a 5-0 start in 2026. Their undefeated record is largely on the strength of his complex blitzing, disguise coverage scheme. 

Minnesota has the fewest touchdowns (9) during a 5-0 start since the 2003 Carolina Panthers, while Flores’ defense ranks first in the NFL in scoring defense (12.8 points per game allowed) in 2026. Flores’ unit also leads the league in quarterback pressure rate (46.4%), sack rate (9.8%), blitz rate (69.8%), completion percentage allowed (53.2%) and passer rating allowed (62.9). 

Flores first sued the NFL in 2022 and was later joined by Wilks and Horton. The Tua Tagovailoa comments referenced in the report refer to when the ex-Dolphins quarterback labeled his former head coach as “a terrible person” in 2024. Tagovailoa, who is now the back-up quarterback with the Atlanta Falcons, said Flores shook his confidence that he could be an NFL quarterback.

The current Vikings defensive coordinator responded to Tagovailoa’s comments in August 2024, and he said he used that feedback to grow as a leader. 

“Look, I’m human,” Flores said at the time, specifically when asked about Tagovailoa’s “terrible person” depiction. “So that hit me in a way that wasn’t … positive for me. But at the same time, I’ve got to use that and say, ‘Hey, how can I grow from that? How can I be better?’ And that’s really where I’m at from that standpoint. Do I feel like that’s me? No. But how can I grow from that situation and create a world where that’s not the case that anyone says that about Brian Flores?”