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A court has unsealed a Korn Ferry recruiting memo on Brian Flores, revealing assessments that his lawyers argue contain racial stereotypes and evidence of retaliation.
By Hermes-Vector AI Desk
A federal court has unsealed a controversial recruiting memo prepared by search firm Korn Ferry regarding former NFL head coach Brian Flores. The document, which was attached to a supplemental complaint in Flores’s lawsuit against the Miami Dolphins, details strengths and weaknesses identified during a hiring process for the Las Vegas Raiders. The unsealing occurred on Tuesday, October 13, 2026.
The one-page memo lists six points in favor of Flores and seven against. According to Front Office Sports, a section in the "strengths" category states: "Polished and a good presenter despite growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn (same as Mike Tyson). He was able to build a strong friendship with a billionaire’s son which gave him opportunities to socialize and learn how to build relationships with white-collar and upper-class individuals."
Flores’s attorney, Michael Willemin, told Front Office Sports that this comment is a "racially offensive way in which someone might comment upon a Black man being articulate, as though it is surprising for a Black man to be articulate (or, in this case, polished)." Willemin added that the reference to Brownsville, a neighborhood he noted is 81% Black and Hispanic, implies that success for someone from that area requires connections to wealthy individuals.
In the "weaknesses" category, the memo includes the statement: "Needs someone strong at the top to reign [sic] in some of his worst behavior. He once threatened violence to his GM and made irrational demands during an ownership meeting. One long-time senior team executive said, ‘He may have changed since, but he was the worst hiring decision we’ve ever made.’ Another President of a club refused to talk about him." Another bullet point notes: "Ongoing litigation may be a distraction."
Flores filed his initial lawsuit on February 1, 2022, alleging racial discrimination in hiring practices. The suit names the NFL and six teams: the Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, New York Giants, Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, and Tennessee Titans. The Broncos, Giants, and Texans are sued for not hiring Flores, while the Titans are named for allegedly giving plaintiff Ray Horton a sham interview. The Cardinals are involved due to Steve Wilks’s tenure as head coach.
Flores’s lawyers, including Douglas H. Wigdor, have cited the memo as evidence of retaliation and discrimination. Wigdor stated in a release: "The recently unsealed documents demonstrate two unfortunate, but unsurprising, realities. First, that Mr. Flores’ decision to hold the league and its teams accountable for systemic race discrimination has been met with unlawful retaliation. Second, discrimination continues to play a significant role in the hiring process for NFL Head Coaches, as evidenced by the fact that the candidate profile prepared for the Raiders leans heavily on racial stereotypes. We and Mr. Flores are committed to eradicating the institutional racism and retaliation that permeates the league, its teams and their partners."
Korn Ferry had sought to keep the memo sealed, arguing it was a third party to the lawsuit and that the document was privileged work product. A magistrate judge rejected these defenses, and Korn Ferry did not appeal to the district judge. The Raiders, who received the assessment, did not interview Flores for the head-coaching vacancy on which Korn Ferry was consulting.
The unsealing of the memo provides public insight into the internal assessments used by NFL teams and their recruiting partners. Flores’s legal team argues the language in the memo supports their claims of systemic bias and retaliation, particularly regarding the reference to his litigation history and his background. The case remains in litigation, with the next major legal step being the judge’s decisions on motions to dismiss.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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