Lawyers for Brian Flores, other coaches blast idea of Roger Goodell leading arbitration in racial bias lawsuit

NEW YORK — Lawyers for three Black NFL coaches alleging racial bias by the league took aim at commissioner Roger Goodell on Wednesday in their latest arguments against arbitrating a dispute they say belongs before a jury.

In papers filed in Manhattan federal court, the lawyers wrote that arbitration would allow «unconscionably biased one-sided 'kangaroo courts'» to decide the outcome of the lawsuit filed in February by Brian Flores, who was fired in January as head coach of the Miami Dolphins. He is now an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Two other coaches — Carolina Panthers defensive passing game coordinator Steve Wilks and former NFL defensive coordinator Ray Horton — later joined the lawsuit as plaintiffs.

Their lawyers said Goodell, who would lead the arbitration if the case is not decided by a jury, could not be fair in overseeing and ruling on the dispute as to whether the NFL engages in systemic discrimination. They included in their submission articles about Goodell's salary and other personal details.

They cited the hundreds of millions of dollars he earns from teams, his public statement that the lawsuit is without merit and the likelihood that he could be a witness in the case.

In June, lawyers for the NFL and six of its teams said arbitration was required because the coaches had agreed in their contracts to multiple arbitration provisions «that squarely cover their claims.» They also said the coaches were required to go to arbitration individually rather than as a group.

Lawyers for the league and its teams did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday from The Associated Press.

Letting Goodell preside over the case would «deviate from established authority and societal norms»