Last Tuesday, a key document in the ongoing Brian Flores litigation was made public. The item, a summary of Flores's strengths and weaknesses as listed by the Korn Ferry search firm, contains several statements that will strengthen multiple aspects of his case alleging racial discrimination and retaliation for filing suit.
Here's a full explanation of the significance of the document.
During Flores's first media availability since the document was released, he was asked about it.
"I prefer . . . to use this forum, to talk about our players, our coaches, this team, you know, and so, you know, I think I'll probably take this time just to say that," Flores said. "This forum is about our players, not any personal situation for me. So I'll just kind of leave it there. I understand the question, respect it, but, you know, I think this, I use this time to talk about our players, our coaches, our team."
It's the smart move, as it relates to the lawsuit. Anything he says about the case can be used against him, and the NFL surely will be looking for anything it can to make him look bad in the eyes of a jury.
Indeed, as Flores's lawyers aggressively attempt to find documents and other evidence that will bolster their position, the NFL and the teams Flores have sued will be digging for anything it can use. Which will mean exploring the factual rabbit hole as to any remotely relevant incident at any of his NFL employers — the Patriots, Dolphins, Steelers, and Vikings.
The higher the stakes of a civil action, the more intense the defense will become. In this case, Flores has the tiger by the tail. At some point, the tiger will uses its claws.