Feb. 14, 2026, 9:02 a.m. ET
In a significant development for the New York Giants, a federal judge has ruled that Brian Flores’ long-running racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL and several teams, including the Giants, can advance in open court rather than through the league’s private arbitration process.
On Friday, U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni in the Southern District of New York determined that the NFL’s arbitration system—overseen by Commissioner Roger Goodell—suffers from a “fatal flaw” due to the league’s unilateral control, rendering it unfair and unenforceable for these claims. This allows all allegations, including those specifically against the Giants, to proceed publicly.
Flores originally filed the suit in February 2022 after his firing by the Miami Dolphins, accusing the NFL of systemic racism in coaching hires and retention. He claimed the Giants conducted a “sham” interview for their head coaching vacancy that cycle, allegedly predetermined to hire Brian Daboll while merely checking the Rooney Rule box for minority candidates.
The Giants have denied this, maintaining they seriously considered diverse applicants.
The ruling follows an August 2025 appellate decision that already cleared some claims against the Giants, Broncos, and Texans for court proceedings, and an earlier NFL petition to the Supreme Court on arbitration validity that did not halt progress.
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This outcome subjects the Giants’ hiring practices to greater scrutiny in open court, potentially exposing details of their 2022 process. Flores’ attorneys hailed the decision as ensuring a neutral forum for addressing discrimination concerns.
The NFL can appeal, but now faces transparent litigation on these serious matters.
