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sports Monday 7 February 2022
NFL to bolster inclusion policies, probe tanking allegations

By ARNIE STAPLETON that is it more of a public re- phins owner Stephen Ross
AP Pro Football Writer lations ploy than real com- told him he would pay him
NFL Commissioner Roger mitment to change." $100,000 for every loss dur-
Goodell told teams Satur- Flores, who is Black, was ing the coach's first sea-
day the league will look to fired as Miami's coach last son because the owner
bolster policies meant to month despite back-to- wanted the club to "tank"
encourage hiring of minori- back winning seasons. He so it could get the top draft
ties, particularly as head named the league and pick. The Dolphins went
coaches, and he pledged three teams — the Dol- 5-11 that year; the Cin-
an investigation into tank- phins, Denver Broncos cinnati Bengals went 2-14
ing allegations raised by and New York Giants — in and used the No. 1 pick on
Brian Flores in his discrimina- a class-action lawsuit this quarterback Joe Burrow,
tion lawsuit against the NFL. week alleging unfair hiring who led the team to this
"We will reevaluate and practices in the NFL. season's Super Bowl.
examine all policies, guide- After the lawsuit was filed, "We also take seriously any
lines and initiatives relating the league said it would Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, left, walks off the field next issue relating to the integri-
to diversity, equity and in- defend itself against claims to coach Brian Flores after the team's loss to the Atlanta Falcons ty of NFL games," Goodell's
clusion, including as they it said were "without merit." in an NFL football game Oct. 24, 2021, in Miami Gardens, Fla. letter said. "These matters
relate to gender," Goodell The Dolphins, Broncos and Associated Press will be reviewed thoroughly
wrote in a memo to the Giants also denied Flores' and independently. We ex-
league's 32 clubs that was allegations. Flores and others this week. values and longstanding pect that these indepen-
obtained by The Associ- Goodell took a softer ap- While the legal process commitment to diversity, dent experts will receive full
ated Press. proach to Flores' claims in moves forward, we will not equity and inclusion," the cooperation from everyone
The commissioner added his memo. wait to reassess and modify commissioner wrote. associated with the league
that the league's record on "We understand the con- our strategies to ensure that Flores' most serious allega- or any member club as this
hiring minority coaches has cerns expressed by Coach they are consistent with our tion is his claim that Dol- work proceeds."q
been "unacceptable."
The memo came five
days after Flores sued the
league and three teams
over alleged racist hiring
practices for coaches and
general managers, saying
the league remains "rife
with racism" even as it pub-
licly condemns it.
The NFL's main avenue
for increasing diversity in
its leadership ranks is the
two-decade-old Rooney
Rule, which requires teams
to interview minority can-
didates for jobs including
head coach and general
manager. Despite the rule,
there is currently one Black
head coach in the league:
Pittsburgh's Mike Tomlin.
There are no Black team
owners, just a handful of
Black GMs and relatively
few Black coordinators in
a league where more than
70% of players are Black or
another ethnic minority.
Goodell said the league
will include outside experts
in its review along with "cur-
rent and former players
and coaches, advocates
and other authorities in this
area. Our goal is simple:
make our efforts and those
of the clubs more effective
so that real and tangible
results will be achieved."
In a statement, Flores' at-
torneys said while Goodell's
memo appears to be a
positive first step in con-
fronting systemic racism in
the league, they "suspect