When former Miami Dolphins coach Brian Flores accused the NFL and three of its teams of racism and other misconduct, he risked his career. In discussing the matter, Kareem Abdul Jabbar not only questioned Flores for remaining silent for so long but also highlighted the broader issue of racism within the football association.
KAJ chimed in on Flores - NFL controversy
In 2022, Brian filed a lawsuit against the NFL and the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, and New York Giants. He claimed that Dolphins owner Stephen Ross offered him $100,000 for every loss. However, when Flores led his team to eight victories in nine games, GM Chris Grier informed him that Ross was eventually furious at Flores, as winning games hurt their draft position.
Then, the four-time Super Bowl Champ accused the Giants of interviewing him just to meet the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to prove an opportunity to minority candidates for any potential openings.
Lastly, Flores also claimed that during an interview with the Broncos in 2019, some board members appeared an hour late and hungover. Given that these incidents occurred several years before he spoke out, 'Cap' questioned why it took so long for him to reveal these details. Moreover, in his substack piece, the six-time MVP criticized the NFL for lacking opportunities for African Americans to move up in the hierarchy despite their dominant presence in the league.
"Ah, you say, but don't Black players dominate with 57.5% being Black and only 24.9% being White? That's like saying a fast food chain isn't racist because 57.5% of their fry cooks are Black. The issue isn't how many Black fry cooks or baristas or halfbacks you have, it's how many Blacks have the opportunity to rise into upper management," Kareem wrote . "In the case of the NFL, not many. Which is odd when you consider that the majority of players are Black and therefore offer a bigger pool of trained professionals from which to choose."
Kareem said the NFL had no moral to change
While the Rooney Rule has provided opportunities for minority professionals to receive interviews, Abdul Jabbar emphasized that this alone is insufficient, as it does not guarantee jobs and often serves as a mere formality.
The Lakers legend cited the NBA and collegiate basketball teams as examples, noting their efforts to bring in more black head coaches. Lastly, he concluded that since the NFL lacks 'patriotic reason or moral' to implement genuine changes, only external pressure from fans and sponsors can compel them to make meaningful amendments.
"Qualified Black coaches need their shot now, not in some golden age future where they can be judged on the content of their football coaching skills and not the color of their skin," Kareem added. "They need external pressure to change."
Related: "A black athlete criticizing the society" - Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had a 'scary feeling' transitioning into post-basketball life
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