i think that's what brian flores was getting across. he came with receipts, and too often the organization were only interviewing block coaches so they could check a box, they have no intention of hiring. >> when a coach of color is fired after a winning season, what does the ownership tell the locker room? especially when that locker room is predominantly black? >> it doesn't all make sense, but that's the catch-22 in the nfl. players' careers are so short that they don't worry about that. so right now with brian flores coming up and speaking out, more and more players you see are starting to speak out because they understand that if they don't say anything, it will never impact change. >> i've heard from a lot of players. i appreciate their support. and i'm doing this for them and their children. because a lot of them are black players. and they see that there's the need for change. >> reporter: flores says he's interviewed for openings with the houston texans and the new orleans saints, and he's waiting to hear back. the future of hi

brian flores has to be twice as good. the new york giants can d at a - say that in their defense but as long as they have been around in their cornerstone franchise of the n.f.l., they've never had a black coach, brian flores is from the section of brooklyn where the saying is never ran, never will. he's very present to want to be the coach of a giants team that he grew up in the shadow of. >> reporter: i want to turn to this other racially fraught piece of n.f.l. business in the news and that is the washington football team which for many many years was named after what many argue is a racist slur about native americans, they have now changed that name, they are this washington commanders, announced today to great fanfare. you've watched this for a very long time, i know you've studied this in particular, what is it do you make of how the washington team has handled this? >> very poorly. it is with great disappointment. you know, i grew up in washington, d.c., i grew up in a family that had five season tickets when they

so, brian flores has two straight winning seasons. he's fired by the dolphins. and then he says that he is humiliated by the fact that he knows he's now interviewing for a job that's already been given to another, a white coach, and he says this makes an absolute mockery of this rooney rule. do you agree with that? kevin: oh, absolutely. the problem with the rooney rule is not the rule. the problem with the rooney rule are the people who have been entrusted to carry out the moral and ethic responsibilities embedded in the rooney rule. and that is what has let brian flores down d a number of other coaches down as well. i mean, how could the new york giants, their executive office, actually bring him in for an interview, for a job that they had already decided to give to someone else? it is the ultimate embarrassment for brian flores, which he does not deserve, and it was the trigger, obviously, for him to file this scorched-earth lawsuit not just against the giants and the broncos and a couple of other teams he named, but against all of the owners inhe national f

brian flores, with respect to him, it was a sham. so i think with regard to the allegations, although they are just that now, boy, do the numbers tell a real story that is compelling and speaks to the need to overhaul the nfl. last point, and that's this, i think when you get to the court of law before you seen get there, there will be depositions, people will be sworn under oath and if this lawsuit does anything with respect to brian flores or anything else, i think it is a real eye opener and will compel league teams and others to take the issue of diversity and inclusion seriously and to make real long-term systemic changes in the nfl, and i think that's something the lawsuit speaks to is very much needed and overdue. >> and my understanding is it's been filed as a class action lawsuit so that others could potentially join. kerry, your reaction to this lawsuit and the potential impact it could have. >> it's interesting to hear the word explosive. it's explosive only to people who are not black. the reason why it's explosive in thi

quote, are you talking to brian flores or brian dabble, coach? just making sure. >> dabble. and this is where it all goes south. belichick replies, sorry, i bleeped this up, i double checked and misread the text. i think they are naming double. i am sorry about that. flores alleges that he had to give an extensive interview for a job he knew he would not get, an interview held away from others, to demonstrate to the public at large it was in compliance with the rules. the joint, of course, gave the job to the other brian, brian daboll, the guy bill belichick said would get it. the new york giants told nbc news today that the fact of the matter is that ryan flores was in the conversation to be head coach until the 11th hour. ultimately, we hire the individual we felt to be most qualified. the nfl told us, in part, diversity is core to everything we do and there are few issues on which our clubs and internal leadership spent more time. we will defend against these claims, which are without merit. flores alleges this is not the first time that this has happened. in the complain

>> well, i think the significance is that brian flores is 40 years old. he's considered, even ter this difficult run with miami, to be one of the preimminent defensive coaches in t nfl. somebody who had a lot of years ahead of him, who may be throwing it all away rightow in order to try to build something r the greater good, in order to build opportunies for coacheafter him. it flores has. the estion is whether or not they'll have the same impact if they do come out as current coaches would. you just -- it's difficult to find people who are willing to risk as much as brian flores has. >> in terms of current coaches, there's only one black head coach, mike tomlin. i don't know if he will join or not. the idea of will other coaches join, you see that as the key? >> i do see that as the key. it is the key to public pressure on the nfl to make a change here. i mean, we've seen in recent years their willingness to brush things under the rug that are bad pr. in 2016 they released 139-page report on whether or not footballs were deflated in new england. when fac

on getting the giants job flores then asked, coach, had you talking to brian flores or brian daboll, just making sure he replied sorry, i blanked this up when you realized he meant to send that text message to someone else what went through your head? >> i was humiliated. >> reporter: the giants are defending their hiring practices. ultimately we hired the individual we felt was most qualified. flores also alleges miami dolphins owner steven ross offered to pay him $100,000 per loss in 2019 to improve the team's draft position. >> that's disrespect to the game >> reporter: the dolphins deny any racial discrimination and write that the implication that we acted in a manner inconsistent with the integrity of the game is incorrect flores now knows he's risking his career >> we can make changes to this system, this -- and give more opportunities to black and minority coaches, real opportunities i think it'll be worth it >> reporter: the nfl says flores' claims are without merit. bill belichik has not returned our calls for comment. back to you. >> gabe, thank you miami dolphins owner ste

later, flores sought clarification, said, coach, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll? just want to make sure. and belichick responds, sorry, i effed up, i double-checked and i misread the text, i think they are naming daboll. i'm sorry about that. that is one of the points that flores makes in this lawsuit to say that he believes he was simply being interviewed by the new york giants as part of the rooney rule. it is a rule that establishes that these teams have to interview external and minority candidates. and he said to us this morning, and cnn, speaking to john berman, that that made him feel humiliated, he felt disbelief, just having to go through that interview. he also talks about an exchange with stephen ross, right here, miami owner -- the miami manager, who he says offered to pay him $100,000 per loss so that they could be better positioned for the draft. flores is saying that he is filing this lawsuit, understanding that his job could be at risk, his career on the line. but he says this is bigger than him. listen. >> this is bigger than coaching. this is big

flores. >> obviously, brian will become the rosa parks of the nfl. >> in a 58-page lawsuit, flores and his attorney stay nfl has a plantation culture, ago ewing the league lives in a time of the past and is rife with racism, particularly when it come to the hiring and retention of black homes, coordinators and general managers. the nfl denied the charges saying it was deeply committed to ensuring equitable employme packages and providing equitable opportunity throughout our organizations. he is suing because he had the interview even though they had already decided to hire another coach. the patriots coach seemingly congratulated the wrong person. belichick wrote, i hear from buffalo and new york giants that you are their guy. hope it works out if you want it to. coach, are you talking to brian flores or bribe daboll? i think they are naming daboll. sorry about that. he said the league checked a box by interviewing flores so they were in compliance with the league's rule which requires teams on interview minority candidates. >> it happens to so many of these coaches and i really, espec

that is the charge levied by former miami dolphins coach brian flores. he has filed a racial discrimination class-action lawsuit against the league. 70% of nfl players are black. all of the team owners are white. we will speak to former nfl player dontÉ stallworth. stay with us. ♪♪ [music break] amy: "is it because i am black" by the legendary chicago soul singer syl johnson. he died sunday at the age of 85, just days after his brother, the blues guitarist jimmy johnson, died at 93. this is democracy now!, democracynow.org, the war and peace report. i'm amy goodman. the nfl, national football league come is run like a plantation. that is the explosive charge levied by former miami dolphins coach brian flores in a class-action racial discrimination lawsuit filed last week on the first day of black history month against the league and three teams. while 70% of nfl players are black, all of the owners and nearly all of the head coaches are white. during the past season, there were three black head coaches but two of them were fired soon after the seaso

then you write, coach, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll, just making sure? belichick writes, sorry, i effed this up. i double-checked and misread the text. i think they're naming daboll. i'm sorry about that. bill belichick. so belichick is telling you, days before you're even interviewing for the giants job, that he thinks daboll has it locked up. >> yes. and that's -- that's the -- that's what we're trying to change. >> what did that feel like? >> it was humiliating, to be quite honest. there was disbelief, anger. there was, you know, a wave of emotions for a lot of reasons. and i think this is why, you know, we filed the lawsuit. >> why did bill belichick even know about who is getting the job? why is he talking to the giants and to the bills? last i checked he was with the patriots. what is his involvement getting to know who is going to land the head coaching position? and so, you know, brian's a really modest person. he's stepping up because, you know, this has been talked about for so long. there is only one blackhead coach. there are no black owners,

you heard brian flores talk about the risk that he fully understands. i think that was the big thing in terms of the it would ever get to this point. unfortunately it has gotten to the point, and perhaps it's going to be a game-changer even with brian flores worried about whether or not he'll get a chance to be a coach again in the nfl. >> maya, i want to dig in with both of you on what real change would actually require. before we do, i want to understand the legal contours of this lawsuit a little bit. the coach that ended up getting the job with the giants had zero head coaching experience. bus that bolster flores' discrimination claim? >> absolutely. remember he's bringing a claim -- by the way, i think part of what to look at is the one he's going to take to the eeoc which is this title seven claim because that's where he says, look, there's a whole class of us, where he's not just suing for himself. he is suing for every person who is black, who has been denied or prevented the opportunity to get whether coaching, general manager, coordinator role

coach, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll. just making sure. sorry, i effed this up. i think they're naming daboll. sorry about that. the rooney rule requires teams to interview minority candidates. >> it happens to so many of these coaches. i really respect this man for what he did. >> reporter: the giants saying we interviewed an impressive and diverse group of candidates. the fact of the matter, brian flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the 11th hour. >> there was disbelief, anger. >> reporter: flores also says the denver broncos also gave him a similar sham interview for head coach in 2019. flores was fired as coach of the miami dolphins after back-to-back winning seasons. he says that team's owner offered to pay him to lose games during the 2019 season so the team would get better draft picks. the dolphins deny that claim. >> did ross explicitly say i'll give you $100,000 each game you lose? >> yes. that's not something you make up. >> reporter: with just three head coaches of color, including one black man, out of 32 teams in the league, wh

coach, are you talking to brian flores, and brian daboll. i think they are naming daboll, i'm sorry about that. >> it was humiliating, to be quite honest. there was disbelief, anger. >> flores and his lawyers argue his interview with the giants was just a formality so the team looked as though it was considering a minority candidate when it really wasn't. the league mandates teams interview minorities, under what's called the rooney rule. the new york giants are pushing back, saying brian flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the 11th hour. and it's not just the giants flores accused of discrimination in its hiring practices, flores claims in the lawsuit the denver broncos feigned interest too and after a similar bogus interview in 2019, gave the head coaching job to a white candidate. the broncos denied the allegation. >> just the entire process doesn't feel like you're an actual candidate, and that's unfortunate. >> flores' lawsuit argues the nfl is rife with racism, particularly when it comes to the hiring and retentio

former miami dolphins head coach brian flores is speaking out te prosed class n.f.l. andalleged racist hiring. flores appeared with his lawyers on "cbs mornings" and said he filed the sutsz because it's time for the n.f.l. to change. cbs' manuel bojorquez reports. >> reporter: today, on "cbs mornings" former miami dolphins coach brian flores described how he felt before an interview for the head coaching job with the new york giants. >> humiliation, disbelief, anger. >> reporter: that's because, according to this proposed class action lawsuits, a texting mix-up by his former boss, new england patriots coach bill belichick, seemed to confirm the job was already someone else's. it went to brian daboll. flores alleges he was considered only to fulfill the n.f.l.'s so-called rooney rule, a rule requiring teams to interview minority candidates. >> to go on what was going to be, what felt like, or what was a sham interview, i was hurt. >> but you went knowing that you probably weren't going to get it. >> i did. >> reporter: the giants responded saying in part, "brian flores

it went to brian daboll. flores alleges he was considered only to fulfill the n.f.l.'s so- called, "rooney rule," a rule requiring teams to interview minority candidates. >> to go on what was going to be, what felt like, or what was a sham interview, i was hurt. >> but you went knowing that you probably weren't going to get it. >> i did. >> reporter: the giants responded saying in part, "brian flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the 11th hour. ultimately, we hired the individual we felt was the most qualified to be our next head coach." the n.f.l. said it in its that its clubs are committed to: flores' allegations against his former boss goes a step for flores' allegations against his former boss goes a step for example, alleging stephen ross offered him $100,000 for each game the team lost in order for a better draft pick, which he refused to do. committed to ensuring equitable ploiment practices and called the accusations without merit. >> you think it hurt your career? >> i think it hurt my standing within the organization and ultimately was th

flores then asked, coach, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll, just making sure. belichick replied with an expletive, sorry, i blanked this up. when you realized he meant to send that text message to someone else, what went through your head >> i was humiliated. >> reporter: the giants wrote in part that brian flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the 11th hour, ultimately we hired the individual we felt was most qualified flores also alleges that miami dolphins owner stephen ross offered to pay him $100,000 per loss in 2019 to improve the team's draft position. >> it's disrespect to the game >> reporter: the dolphins deny any racial discrimination and write, the implication that we acted in a manner inconsistent with the integrity of the game is incorrect flores now knows he's risking his career. >> we can make changes to this system, give more opportunities to black and minority coaches, real opportunities, i think it will be worth it. >> reporter: the nfl says flores' claims are without merit, and bill belichick has not returned our calls fo

belichick writing, coach, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll. sor, i f-ed this up. i think they are naming daboll. i am sorry about that. >> it was humiliating to be honest. there was disbelief. there was anger. >> flores and his lawyers argue the interview was just a formality, so the team looked as though it was considering a minority candidate when it really wasn't. the league man dates teams interview majorities under what's called the rooney rule. the new york giants are pushing back saying brian flores was in discussion to be our head coach until the 11th hour. it's not just the giants flores is accusing in his lawsuit. he claims the denver broncos feigned interest too and after a similar bogus interview in 2019 gave the head coaching job to a white candidate. the broncos denied the allegation. >> just the entire process doesn't feel like you're an actual candidate. and that's -- that's unfortunate. >> reporter: flores' lawsuit claims the nfl is rife with racism particularly when it comes to the hiring and retention of black head coaches, coordinators and gene

former miami dolphins coach brian flores is suing the nfl and three teams claiming the league is rife with racism. they call the adversity unacceptable. after the meeting, an nfl spokesperson put out this statement. we had a productive and thoughtful conversation. as the nfl shares the goal of ensuring everyone has equitable access to opportunity. we look forward to continuing the dialogue. let's learn what happened in this meeting. joining me is the president of the national urban leak, one of the civil rights leaders that met with goodell. good to have you here, mark. what was your big east what is your biggest takeaway from that meeting? >> it was a constructive conversation, but nothing is resolved. and that's what's important. nothing has been resolved. and much more work needs to be done. we need to see action on the issue of black head coaches, as well as diversity and ownership within the ranks of the national football league. 32 teams, 32 head coaches. the rooney rule was adopted many years ago, there were two black coaches. two black head coaches. today there is one black he

so something that is central in this lawsuit from brian flores, who compares the nfl to a plantation, a league that is run with 70% of black players with only one black coach. jake. >> leyla santiago, thank you so much. >>> in our national lead today, a massive winter storm stretching across three time zones is to blame for more than 260,000 people without power right now. snow, sleet and ice have crippled a stretch from texas up to new england. portions of major interstates are closed. more flights closed. a driver in springfield, illinois, had his car get stuck on icy train trucks. he made it out before the train hit his car. derrick, this weather is creating all sorts of dangerous situations. >> reporter: yeah. you know, jake, we've had blistering winds, blinding snow and a sheet of ice here across the central portions of the hoosier state including where i'm standing at monument circle, downtown indianapolis. this storm is massive, stretching over 25 u.s. states, impacting over a third of the u.s. population. it is just incredible to see what it's done of the last night when we dr

it was johnnie cochran threatening to do the same thing that brian flores has done. so we know that they will respond to legal action. now i think his case needs to be strengthened by other coaches who we know have experienced some of the same things that he has. they need to join the fight because i'm telling you, there's strength in numbers. >> what about the players, then? so colin kaepernick -- it's been six years since colin kaepernick first began his protests. would the reaction be different if players did that now, maybe what you're suggesting the coaches do? >> well, i think the players, they certainly could show a level of solidarity. but ultimately i think the coaches really have to be the lead on this. obviously players, they hold a position of power because they are the product. you know, they are the labor for lack of a better way to put it. and the nfl engine can't go without them. but i think in this case -- be resilient and try to make an example of the nfl to let them know that this isn't tolerated. we know from how the owners responded when donald t

the former coach of the miami dolphins, brian flores is suing the nfl and three teams, flores who's black is accusing the league and the teams of racial discrimination in hiring and of the coaches, they're all denying the lawsuit's claims. >>> pfizer asking the fda to authorize its covid vaccine for young children ages six months to five years. >>> and the russian president vladimir putin accusing the u.s. of stoking the war and ignoring russia's main demands in the ukraine standoff today was the first time he spoke publicly about the crisis since december and now you know the news of this tuesday, the 1st of february, 2022, i'm shepard smith, follow us on instagram and twitter @thenewsoncnbc and and twitter @thenewsoncnbc and listen to the news pca (vo) t-mobile for business wants to make this the best year for your business yet. when you switch and bring your own device, we'll pay off your phone up to $800. you can keep your phone. and keep your number. visit your local t-mobile store today. it's still the eat fresh refresh™ and subway's refreshing everything like the new honey mustar

it's unlikely any team is going to want to hire brian flores. if no one comes forward and calls out racism, if you don't do this, nothing ever changes. very bold move on his part to do so, as you said, during the time when he's still interviewing, but i think you have to give him a lot of courage -- give him a lot of credit for having the courage to stand up to the league because he's going to face a tremendous amount of opposition as the league has already come forward and called his allegations meritless. >> arriva martin, thank you very much. >>> we'll hear from brian flores will tell husband story live on "new day" in the 8 a.m. hour. >>> whoopie goldberg off the view for two weeks. abc has suspended goldberg one day after she said this about the holocaust. >> the holocaust isn't about race. >> no? >> no. >> maybe -- >> no. >> different race but -- >> it's not about race. it's not about race. >> what is it about? >> because you -- it's about man's inhumanity to man. >> those remarks drew widespread outrage and so goldberg apologized on twitt

. >>> fired dolphins coach brian flores is suing the nfl over allegations of racist hiring practices. >> flores, who was let go after two straight winning seasons, says he and other black coaches have faced discrimination, and he's comparing the league to a plantation. this morning, a bombshell lawsuit claiming racial discrimination in pro football. former miami dolphins coach brian flores is suing the nfl and three teams, claiming in certain critical ways, the nfl is racially segregated and is managed much like a plantation. >> spare me the shock. don't be shocked that this is going on. >> reporter: the dolphins fired flores last moment after back-to-back winning seasons. but the team failed to make the playoffs. the lawsuit accuses dolphins' owner offering flores to pay him $100,000 for every loss to secure a higher draft pick. >> there are a lot of accusations that obviously he's been holding onto, and he decided that he was going to file that lawsuit, which was filed today, seeking unspecified damages. >> he also claims the nfl and certain teams discriminated against him, saying h

brian flores will be here tonight. he's going to join me live. and we're going to have a whole lot -- a whole lot of players actually agree with him. everything that he says. watch this. >> this is bigger than football. many have come before. and done a lot to create change in this country. for people of color. and i just felt like in this instance it was my turn to step up and be an agent for change. and i'm proud to do that. >> brian is going to become the rosa parks of the nfl, and rightly so. it it took an inordinate amount of courage for him to file this lawsuit and to stand up against one of the largest corporations in the world and talk about the fact that there is less opportunity for people of color than there are otherwise. >> this is not only happening in the nfl but it's happening in top corporations and organizations around the country. and so for brian flores to take this stand against one of the most profitable, biggest entities in the country, it's really saying something. >> we're seen as people who can't lead. and i'm speaking a

but then, that gets completely displayed when you look at somebody like eric bieniemy or brian flores, who has head coaching experience, and you can name a ton of people who have the offensive coordinator position experience and who have existed within these coaching trees, who have not been given the opportunities to actually show what they're worth as a head coach. the other issue there that brian flores does get to in this lawsuit is the shorter leash that black head coaches do have once they are actually able to make it to that position. he had two winning seasons, and was, you know, given the yank essentially for what he describes as being characterized as being difficult to work with, but it seems that what he's saying is that he was just not toeing the company line when you bring up the stephen ross allegations as well. >> kavitha davidson, for now, because this thing is going to continue, thank you. >>> coming up, everybody, on "politics nation," brian flores himself speaks with my colleague, the reverend al sharpton. it is a conversation you will not want to miss. that is on

. >>> the pittsburgh steelers announcing they are adding brian flores to their coaching staff. flores getting the knew job as she's suing the nfl for racial discrimination. what this now means for the pending lawsuit. >>> news on the next phase of the pandemic. all but one state either lifting mask mandates or planning to, as officials in new york state say they will not enforce a booster rquirement for health-care workers. >>> and "america strong" tonight. how one man's retirement project provided hundreds of children in need with a better night's sleep. >>> good evening, it's great to have you with us on a busy saturday night. i'm whit johnson. we begin with that breaking news in the ukraine crisis. tensions nearing a tipping point as the world waits for vladimir putin's next move. tonight, u.s. officials saying up to 50% of more than 150,000 russian troops surrounding ukraine are in attack positions. russia today flexing its military muscle and massive joint exercises in belarus. these images from russian defense forces. those drills included the launching of at least one nu

what does brian flores need to show? he needs to show that this is a pattern and practice in the nfl. the way he does that is one of two ways. one, he uses specific examples, he uses his own experience, he uses statements made by nfl officials acknowledging that. and two, he uses statistics. 17 black players, one black coach. that's less than 20 years ago. >> elie, i've been told they think it's a slam dunk case. do you think it is? >> the nfl will try to fight this. they will try to get the case dismissed, they will try to get the case over to arbitration, which means outside a formal court system, there are provisions in the nfl league rules and contracts that require some of these disputes to go to arbitration. that's going to be a key dispute. the nfl will not go without a fight here. >> my colleague john berman asked flores if he feels he's putting his career in jeopardy with what he's done in this lawsuit. i want to play for you what he said. >> i understand the risk. i love coaching football, i'm called to coach f

when that changes, brian flores' opportunity change and so does colin kaepernicks. they will make a dent in what needs to change. >> amen. hue jackson, let us know if you join the class-action lawsuit or get involved. angela you'll have me watching espn. i'll watch it again because you're there. >> watch it again. >> i'm going to watch you. we love jamel and i'll watch her new thing, too. there are so many things for me to get in on. thank you, sister. >>> coming up, abc suspends whoopi goldberg for her recent remarks on race and the hole cast. did the network miss out on a prime opportunity for discussion and learning? we'll be right back. ime opportun and learning we'll be right back. ♪ i see trees of green ♪ ♪ red roses too ♪ ♪ i see them bloom for me and you ♪ (music) ♪ so i think to myself ♪ ♪ oh what a wonderful world ♪ with voltaren arthritis pain gel. my husband's got his moves back. an alternative to pills, voltaren is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory gel for powerful arthritis pain relief. voltaren, the joy of movement. does sinus cong

former dolphins coach brian flores alleging racial discrimination. the league calling the suit meritless. but tonight he is getting a lot of support from current and former players. >> we're see seen as people who can't lead. and i'm speaking african americans. there is a notion of african american quarterbacks not being able to perform at the level of white quarterbacks. there is a notion of african american coaches not being able to perform at the level of black -- excuse me, white coaches. >> i believe that you should have filed a lawsuit. what is more embarrassing about this whole situation is the memo the nfl put out disregarding, you know, what brian flores has to say. >> black coaches are not awarded the same opportunities as their white counterparts. black coaches are -- they take longer to get hired. they get fired faster. >> the nfl owners are the ones that determine who will be the head coaches for their football teams, and they have no incentive to hire black coaches, minority coaches because nobody -- they don't have to answer to anybody

brian flores or brian dable. that's when belichick says i f-ed up. that is what flores points to to make the point that the giants had already made up their mind before i went to interview and he believes he was being interviewed because the rule, which is a rule in the nfl that has teams interview external as well as minority candidates. flores says that made him fuel humiliated. he was feeling disbelief and in laying it all out there, he acknowledges he may be ending his career, but he feels if he can bring about change in the nfl, a league he compares to being operated like a plantation in this lawsuit, he said it would be well worth it. >> this isn't about me. and i understand that. this is bigger than me. this is bigger than football. many have come before and done a lot to create change in this country. for people of color. and i just felt like in this instance, you know, it was my turn to step up and be an agent for change and i'm proud to do that. >> and i want to read to you a statement from the nfl. the nfl says the nfl and our clubs are de

we will have brian flores on with us in a little bit. cari champion, george martin, thank you both very much. again, former miami coach of the dolphins will join us live. he is breaking his silence under the nfl lawsuit, hiring practices and what might be left for him in the future of the game that he loves. you're not going to want to miss this. >>> new, whoopi goldberg has been suspended for "the view" for two weeks following controversial comments that the holocaust was not about race. prior to being suspended, whoopi goldberg apologized on air for her remarks. >> i said something i feel a responsibility for not leaving unexamined because my words upset so many people which was never my intention. and i understand why now. and for that, i am deeply, deeply grateful because the information i got was really helpful and helped me understand some different things. >> joining us now is ceo and national director of the anti-defamation league, jonathan greenblatt. good morning. thank you for being with us today. i know you spoke with khaopy

and he will be a key witness in brian flores' litigation if it ever results in a trial because you have words spoken by a key member of the nfl acknowledging there's an issue, not that it needs to be acknowledged. the numbers have been hiding in plain sight. i think the deeper problem is that the teams are owned by oligarchs, plain and simple. very rich and powerful people who ultimately are going to do whatever they want to do, and no one is going to tell them, no seminars, no meetings, no policies new york lawsuits, no anything is going to tell them to do anything other than they want to do. until the nfl -- and this is not going to happen in our lifetimes if ever -- until the nfl changes the way that teams are owned and operated, this is going to continue. and the green bay packers are a corporation because they had to be in the '20s because they didn't have any money. i've been arguing all week, if they would spin off these teams as corporations, which would have diverse and inclusive boards of executive, layers of executive, not that corporations are immune to violating the civil r

flores then asked him, coach, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll? just making sure. >> he replied with an expletive saying, sorry, i bleeped this up. >> what did you see think when you saw those message? >> i was humiliated. >> the giants are defending their actions, saying flores was in consideration to be head coach until the 11th hour. ultimately, we hired the person we thought most qualified. the owner also offered, allegedly, to pay him $100,000 to lose each game. >> it is -- >> the dolphins say that -- flores now notes he is risking his career. >> we can make changes to this system and get more opportunities to black and minority coaches, real opportunities, i think it will be worth it. >> the nfl says flores's claims are without merit. bill belichick has not returned our calls for comment. >> dave gutierrez, thanks for that report tonight. and coming up, what we heard from the governor of texas at the beginning of the winter power grid and what we are hearing now as a major winter storm bears down on his state. when "the 11th hour" continues.

and that's the issue that brian flores has. >> you know they vehemently disagree with that. but i hear your point. stephen a., thank you for coming back. appreciate it. >> no problem, take care. >> checking in on your tweet it's and facebook comments. adam, what do we have? >> michael, it's obvious the rooney rule is a scam to appease a desire for african americans that make up 70% of the players. there's one active coach in the nfl. the ap reporting since the rooney came in effect, 21% of head coaching positions have been filled by people of color. 21%. i point that out, today there's only one. and people might think there's always been that limited number. look, in corporate america. i talked about this on radio. and i took phone calls on sirius xm from people this week and i said, call me if either a. you've been quote-unquote victim of a sham interview? or if you had to conduct one. phone calls all full. people saying this goes on all the time. doesn't make it right but there's like an internal candidate someone that the business likes. and everybody knows it's going to

brian flores joins me with his lawyers. thank you so much. we go way back. >> we do. >> thank you. >> thank you. >> i'm proud of you. >> thank you very much. >> thank you for doing this. >> i appreciate it. >> thank you for coming on. why are you doing it? >> for a number of reasons. first and foremost i think there is one black head coach in the national football league and i think the system is broken and the national football league in regard to hiring minority and black head coaches and people in power, gm and head coach. i'm doing it because i think about my two boys and my daughter. and there simply is not enough representation of people that look like them in head coaching roles and general manager roles and executive and president roles and national football league and i want them to be look at those roles and able to look and believe that they can get into a role like that and that's simply not the case right now. >> you know people will say brian you have had a successful career and you can make a lot of money. the black man doesn't

. >>> we're learning more tonight about former miami dolphins head coach brian flores, now suing the nfl and three teams for alleged racial bias in hiring. while 70% of players are black in the nfl, there is just one black head coach across 32 teams. what the nfl is now saying. abc's victor oquendo in miami tonight. >> reporter: tonight, former miami dolphins head coach brian flores accusing the nfl of racial discrimination. a proposed class action lawsuit filed tuesday claiming "the nfl remains rife with racism, particularly when it comes to the hiring and retention of black head coaches, coordinators, and general managers." >> we need change. and that's -- that was the number one reason for us filing the lawsuit. >> reporter: flores was fired last month after back-to-back winning seasons in miami. out of a job, he says he was then passed over for the head coaching position with the new york giants. in his lawsuit, flores says last week, the giants invited him to interview, but flores, who spent ten years under bill belichick with the patriots, says days before that meeting, his men

he seard that giants want him, and later, he thinks he is thinking to brian flores, and brian -- and he say that he f'd this up. i hate to interrupt you. but i wanted people to know what they were reading on the screen. bob costas, continue. >> yeah, that is very helpful. flores' position is like, look, they interviewed mue a few days later but that was a sham if they had decided. they put it in the 11th hour. they came close to hiring him and they felt that dabel was the more qualified candidates. he thought that maybe belichick herd it from a third party and assumed it was a done deal but it wasn't. flores doesn't see it that way. there were five openings still in the nfl for head coaching positions, including the dolphins. the saints, the texans, the vikings and the jaguars are all without head coaches, and flores was in the mix. at least he was until now. he is only 40 years old. he won eight of the last nine games this year with the dolphins. he has a pretty good record. his firing was perplexing to begin with. so he is a highly regarded potential head coach, and he has said, th

flores then asks, are you talking to brian flores or brian daboll. he said, sorry, if i f -- this up. belichick has not returned our calls for comment. the giants defending hiring practices in a statement writing, in part, brian flores was in the conversation to be our head coach until the 11th hour. ultimately, we hired the person we felt most qualified. flores taking aim at miami dolphins owner stephen ross, who offered to pay him to lose games if 2019 to improve the team's draft position, offering $100,000 per loss. the suit alleged he repeated refusals to comply which wled to his firing and led him difficult to work w. the team denies racial discrimination. on tuesday, flores says it may put his coaching at risk. he adds, my sincere hope is that by standing up against systemic racism in the nfl, others will join me for generations to come. >> coming up, the latest on the standoff with russia. when the top spokesman at the state department ned price joins the conversation, "morning joe" is back in a moment. >>> is back in a real cowboys get custom

by now, you may have heard about brian flores. a young, up and coming, very good head coach whose firing this season was such a shock that fans and media generally agreed that he'd have no trouble, no problem being hired by another team. well, flores filed a federal lawsuit against the nfl and three teams for what he says is racial discrimination. it has to do with the league's so-called rooney rule that requires teams to interview at least one minority candidate for top vacancies. according to his complaint filed in the southern district of new york, three days before his meeting with the giants, bill belichick sent him a text mistakenly congratulating him. turns out the intended recipient was brian daval, an indication the league had already made up its mind and that the flores interview was just a box ticking exercise to be in compliance with the rooney rule. the nfl released a statement highlighting their deep commitment to equitable opportunities before insisting the claims by flores were without merit. an interesting positio

the latest fallout from this massive lawsuit brought by coach brian flores. the nfl now launching its own investigation. that's next. >>> but first, we all know sleep is vital, so why do so many of us find it so difficult to prioritize? here's dr. sanjay gupta in this week's chasing life. >> i'm dr. sanjay gupta, host of cnn's "chasing life" podcast. how much sleep? if less than 7 hours, it wasn't enough. you already know that. the cdc says one in three adults fail to get the recommended 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night. we know a bad night sleep can make you feel cranky and unfocused but research also starting to show something else. potential long-term consequences, increasing the risk for things like alzheimer's, dementia and even early death. to understand the connection, you have to remember what sleep actually does for the brain. >> what happens is the gliosols in the brain allow for increased and accelerated flow of neural toxins and so that rushing of those toxins through the brain and excreting them out is really vital. >> no more bragging about how

and i bring that up because one of the things that brian flores wants in his lawsuit, he wants other people to join him. that's not going to happen very easily. one other quick thing. good friend of mine, former nfl player, sent me a text just yesterday, he wants to be a general manager, wants to be a head coach or something. he didn't get anything along those lines and he said that he's not sticking his neck out. so you know, it's tough. >> hugh, let me quick get to you with the allegation of your own in response to the claim that the dolphins owner paid flores $100,000 for every loss in the 2019 season. you tweeted, well, jimmy haslam was happy while we kept losing. a twitter user wrote, jimmy haslam wasn't offering $100,000 per loss or he would be on the forbes list. to which you replied, trust me, it was a good number. the browns said, any accusation that any member of our organization was incentivized to lose games was categorically false. the owner telling the knoxville news sentinel, hugh jackson was never paid to lose games. that's an absolute falsehood. are you still suggest