Coach Steve Wilks & Coordinator Ray Horton Join Brian Flores Lawsuit

Former Cardinals head coach Steve Wilks and defensive coordinator Ray Horton join Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL.

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Former Miami Dolphins Head Coach Brian Flores’ lawsuit against the NFL sent shockwaves through the sports community. In the suit, Flores alleged the NFL “is racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation.” He even revealed texts from Patriots Head Coach Bill Belichick, which uncovered a fake interview process for jobs that were already pre-determined.

Now, it seems the lawsuit is picking up steam as Former Cardinals Head Coach Steve Wilks and Defensive Coordinator Ray Horton are joining the suit.

“When Coach Flores filed this action, I knew I owed it to myself, and to all Black NFL coaches and aspiring coaches, to stand with him,” he said. “This lawsuit has shed further important light on a problem that we all know exists, but that too few are willing to confront. Black coaches and candidates should have exactly the same ability to become employed, and remain employed, as white coaches and candidates.” – Said Wilks

Flores is now the Carolina Panthers’ new secondary coach and defensive passing game coordinator. His current job is also similar to the position Flores is in, which is working a job everyone knows you’re overqualified for.

Horton’s claims in the lawsuit include being subjected to discriminatory treatment when he interviewed for the Tennessee Titans head coach position in January 2016. The lawsuit’s lawyer also spoke about the new developments in a statement.

“Mr. Wilks was hired as a ‘bridge coach’ and was not given any meaningful chance to succeed. He was unfairly and discriminatorily fired after just one season. His white GM, who made poor personnel decisions and was convicted for a DUI during the offseason, was given a contract extension. Mr. Wilks was replaced by a white coach, Kliff Kingsbury, who had no prior NFL coaching experience and was coming off of multiple losing seasons as a Head Coach at Texas Tech.”

Mr. Kingsbury, armed with quarterback Kyler Murray, has been given a much longer leash than Mr. Wilks and, to his credit, has succeeded. That said, Mr. Wilks, given the same opportunity afforded to Mr. Kingsbury, surely would have succeeded as well.”

In the aftermath of the Colin Kaepernick situation and settlement, the NFL has tried to present themselves as an organization trying its best to do better, but we get reminded their old ways aren’t necessarily that “old” every day.