USAT: Jets Wire audio clip

USAT: Jets Wire

Feb 3, 2022

The first question Jets head coach Robert Saleh fielded Wednesday at the Senior Bowl didn’t have anything to do with the talented prospects New York’s coaching staff is working with ahead of the 2022 NFL draft. - Rather, Saleh was asked about the bombshell lawsuit ex-Dolphins head coach Brian Flores filed against the NFL and the Giants, Dolphins and Broncos on Tuesday. - Flores filed a 58-page class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination throughout the NFL’s head coach hiring processes. Flores said in a statement that he believes his recent interview for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy was only conducted so New York could fulfill the Rooney Rule, which requires teams to interview minority coaching candidates. The Giants hired Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll shortly after Flores’ interview with the team. The suit includes text messages in which Patriots head coach Bill Belichick allegedly and accidentally congratulated Flores for landing the Giants job before his last interview. Belichick allegedly thought he was texting Daboll. - Flores also alleged another sham interview took place when he interviewed for the Broncos’ head coaching job in 2019. The lawsuit says that Denver executives, including team president John Elway, appeared hungover at the meeting. The Broncos hired Vic Fangio, who is white, a few days later. - Saleh, who is the NFL’s first Muslim head coach and one of three active minority head coaches, said that he has not had time to review the lawsuit in-depth as the Jets evaluate Senior Bowl prospects. But he praised Flores’ character based on his interactions with him. - “He is a phenomenal coach and always gives us a headache anywhere he’as ever been,” Saleh said. “He’s just a standup guy to talk to pregame and postgame and I really appreciate all the interactions that I’ve had with him. He’s a really, really good man.” - Saleh was then asked if he ever felt he was interviewed for a coaching job just so a team could meet the requirements of the Rooney Rule. He replied no, though he highlighted his optimistic nature. - “I can only speak for me and my experiences but you try to do good by people,” Saleh said. “Our beat knows I’m an eternal optimist, so I always see the good in people, so that one is a tough one for me.” - The Rooney Rule was established in 2003 and is named after former Steelers owner and former chairman of the NFL’s diversity committee, Dan Rooney. Saleh, Ron Rivera and Mike Tomlin are currently the only three active minority head coaches after the Dolphins fired Flores this offseason. David Culley, who is Black, was also fired after just one season with the Texans. - The NFL’s lack of minorities in prominent positions, such as head coach, general manager and coordinator, has been an issue for years. Flores’ suit, meanwhile, notes that none of the league’s 32 owners are Black. - Saleh knows that the NFL has work to do. But the ever-hopeful coach believes the league is trying to “rectify” things. - “Everyone has their own philosophy on how it can happen and how it can happen better,” Saleh said of the NFL’s diversity efforts. “I can sit here for hours and talk about our experiences here with the Jets and what we try to do, but I do think with the leadership of [NFL executive vice president for football operations] Troy Vincent and all the people at the NFL office, I know they’re working diligently. - “Is it tough right now? For sure, but I know the NFL is trying hard. And eventually, it’s going to get there.” - - List - - 6 things the Jets must improve at in 2022 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Email - - - - - Sign up - - - - - - - - Like this article? - Sign up for the Jets Wire email newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning - - - - An error has occured - - - Please re-enter your email address. - - - - - - Thanks for signing up! - - - You'll now receive the top Jets Wire stories each day directly in your inbox.

F i l t e r   &   S o r t