Broncos Release Statement Denying Allegations in Brian Flores' Class-Action Lawsuit
On Tuesday, the Denver Broncos announced that the team will be sold this year. Shortly thereafter, the Broncos were rocked by an incendiary allegation by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores.
Flores filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL in Federal Court on Tuesday, naming three clubs — the New York Giants, Dolphins, and Broncos — and alleging discrimination during two different head-coach hiring cycles (2019 and 2021). The complaint also accuses Miami owner Steven Ross of offering Flores $100,000 per game to tank in 2019 and alleges the billionaire violated NFL tampering rules.
As for the Broncos, Flores alleges that when he interviewed for the team's head-coaching vacancy back in January of 2019, then-GM John Elway, CEO Joe Ellis, and others, arrived at the meeting an hour late and appeared disheveled and hungover. Flores also accused the Broncos of using the interview as only a means to satisfy the NFL's Rooney Rule, which mandates that clubs interview at least one minority candidate during a head-coach hiring cycle.
In other words, Flores alleges that the only reason Elway and Ellis interviewed him was to check the Rooney Rule box. And that his candidacy was a "sham."
The Giants responded Tuesday afternoon with a statement denying Flores' accusations. All eyes were on Dove Valley to see how the Broncos would respond.
The team released statement with gusto via press release.
“The allegations from Brian Flores directed toward the Denver Broncos in today’s court filing are blatantly false.
“Our interview with Mr. Flores regarding our head coaching position began promptly at the scheduled time of 7:30 a.m. on Jan. 5, 2019, in a Providence, R.I., hotel. There were five Broncos executives present for the interview, which lasted approximately three-and-a-half hours—the fully allotted time—and concluded shortly before 11 a.m.
“Pages of detailed notes, analysis and evaluations from our interview demonstrate the depth of our conversation and sincere interest in Mr. Flores as a head coaching candidate.
“Our process was thorough and fair to determine the most qualified candidate for our head coaching position. The Broncos will vigorously defend the integrity and values of our organization—and its employees—from such baseless and disparaging claims.”
Shortly after the news of Flores' lawsuit broke, 9NEWS' Mike Klis published some of the coach's remarks ahead of a Broncos-Dolphins game in Week 14 of the 2020 season in which he recounted his interview with Elway and Ellis with fond regard. Denver7's Lionel Bienvenu published Flores' full quote on Twitter.
"I remember it vividly," Flores said on November 11, 2020. "Obviously, John Elway was there, Joe Ellis, [Chief Communications Officer) Patrick Smyth, [V.P. of Football Operations & Compliance] Mark Thewes, and my good buddy [then-V.P. of Player Personnel] Matt Russell. I know him personally from our days in New England in the personnel department. It was just great, for me—doing my own background work and learning more about the Denver Broncos and their history, the Bowlen family and the great history that they have there as an organization. I was excited to interview with them. I thought it went well. It was great to meet the executives there and spend some time with them. I think [former head coach] Vic [Fangio] is a great coach. They got the right coach and the right people in place. It's a talented team, that's for sure. It was a good experience for me personally."
No doubt, the Broncos have copious notes and perhaps even videotaped conversations of the hiring committee's view of Flores. Flores' allegations will be difficult to prove in court, even if the Broncos had scant evidence to rebut his allegations.
On one hand, it would be easy to believe Flores' accusation because it ostensibly contains at least one element of truth. Elway has a reputation as a drinker and has been captured on camera intoxicated by paparazzi in years past. It's not that much of a leap to believe Elway could have been hungover during the Broncos' interview meeting with Flores.
However, giving the Broncos the benefit of the doubt, the greatest lies are the ones that resonate due to the presence of one, single, solitary kernel of truth. That kernel can render what could be a complete fiction entirely believable.
In that same vein, Flores' accusations of bigoted discrimination ring somewhat hollow in the face of the Broncos hiring a Black head coach two years prior. Vance Joseph was hired as Denver's 16th head coach all-time in 2017 and after going 11-21, he was dismissed in January of 2019, leading to the very vacancy for which Flores was interviewed as one of five candidates for the job.
The Broncos also interviewed two Black candidates for the head-coaching job during this hiring cycle. Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn were interviewed for the job in person by GM George Paton and his five-headed hiring committee, which included Smyth.
Giving Flores the benefit of the doubt, his lawsuit does provide evidence of a "sham" interview via a text exchange between he and New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick that is highly incriminating — of the Giants. The lawsuit alleges that three days before Flores was set to interview for the Giants' head-coaching job, Belichick texted him to congratulate him on winning the job.
Screen captures of the text exchange reveal that Belichick thought he was texting Brian Daboll, whom the Giants ultimately hired as head coach instead of Flores. Realizing his mistake, Belichick apologized to Flores.
That implicates the Giants, with real evidence, of using the interview with Flores as a "sham" to satisfy the Rooney Rule, not the Broncos. Again, kernels of truth.
Another element that makes Flores' allegations so compelling is that he's reportedly a finalist currently for the Houston Texans' head-coaching vacancy. Suing the NFL, and three clubs, while 'exposing' alleged dastardly inner workings, is a sure-fire way to torpedo one's coaching career in the league.
If these allegations weren't true, then surely Flores wouldn't be risking his career in the NFL — or so goes that line of thinking. It certainly puts pressure on the Texans now to hire him. Some cyincs wonder whether that could be Flores' ultimate motivation for the lawsuit — to put PR pressure on the Texans to hire him in the face of discrimination complaints against outside teams.
On the other hand, Flores could be telling the unvarnished truth on all counts. Whatever the truth is, it will come to light through the legal discovery process of this class-action lawsuit. All will be known in due time.
Until then, the Broncos have a coaching staff to fill out under new head coach Nathaniel Hackett, who replaces Fangio as the team's 18th head man all-time. There's also the tectonic matter of a pending sale of the Broncos.
Here's Ellis' statement confirming that the Broncos will indeed be sold this year.
“The Pat Bowlen Trust announced today the beginning of a sale process for the Denver Broncos. We have retained Steve Greenberg of Allen & Company as our financial advisor and Joe Leccese of Proskauer Rose LLP as our legal advisor for this transition of ownership.
“Selling an NFL team is a complex process involving numerous parties and league approval procedures. Nonetheless, the trustees hope to have the sale completed by the start of the 2022 NFL season.
“The Broncos are a special franchise that is part of the fabric of this region, and whoever emerges as the new owner will certainly understand what the team means to our great fans and this community.”
Stay tuned.
Follow Chad on Twitter @ChadNJensen.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
