The allegations about Stephen Ross are more serious than a violation of the Rooney Rule.
Brian Flores has more than likely committed career suicide. He filed a class action complaint against the National Football League alleging the New York Giants organization held a “sham” interview for him when the team was looking for a new coach after firing Joe Judge to comply with the league’s Rooney Rule. The NFL mandates that minority candidates must be given an opportunity to compete for a head coaching job. Flores’ legal action would be enough to get him booted out permanently as you don’t cross NFL owners. But another part of the suit goes right to the heart of the NFL’s integrity. Flores claimed that Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross told him to purposely lose games so that the team would get a higher draft pick. Sports leagues sell the product, games, as a bona fide competition and that is the keystone position which allows legalized sports gambling.
“In reality, the writing had been on the wall since Mr. Flores’ first season as Head Coach of the Dolphins, when he refused his owner’s directive to “tank” for the first pick in the draft. Indeed, during the 2019 season, Miami’s owner, Stephen Ross, told Mr. Flores that he would pay him $100,000 for every loss, and the team’s General Manager, Chris Grier, told Mr. Flores that “Steve” was “mad” that Mr. Flores’ success in winning games that year was “compromising draft position. Mr. Flores’ only failure to collaborate was his refusal to tank the 2019 season as had been requested by Mr. Ross. When he refused, and then over-performed and led the team to winning records in two consecutive seasons with a roster few experts predicted could do so—he was fired.” Law enforcement personnel not the league lead the investigation into Ross because you can’t trust the NFL to police itself.
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