Korn Ferry memo on Brian Flores unsealed in NFL discrimination suit; lawyers cite stereotypes

Right · 2A recruiting memo that the search firm Korn Ferry prepared for the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of their most recent head-coaching search was unsealed in court on Tuesday 13 October 2026, in the class-action discrimination lawsuit brought by Brian Flores. 1 2 Right · 2Front Office Sports first reported the document, which lists "Strengths and Weaknesses" for Flores, now the Minnesota Vikings defensive coordinator, in two columns. 1 2 Right · 1Flores was not interviewed by the Raiders, who ultimately hired Klint Kubiak. 1

Right · 2Flores's attorney Michael Willemin told Front Office Sports that the memo painted his client as an "angry Black man". 1 2 Right · 1The listed weaknesses, as described by Breitbart, include using professional polish to fool people, lacking self-awareness, erratic behaviour, micro-managing, knee-jerk decisions, a "chip on his shoulder", acting as a dictator, and once threatening violence toward a general manager. Lawyers say these play into racial stereotypes. 2 Right · 1The memo also cited Tua Tagovailoa's 2024 comments calling Flores "a terrible person", saying they shattered his confidence and left him "pessimistic and adversarial"; Flores said in 2024 he used the feedback to grow as a leader. 2

Right · 1Among the strengths, the memo called Flores "polished and a good presenter" despite growing up in Brownsville, Brooklyn, and said a friendship with a billionaire's son gave him chances to learn to build relationships with white-collar and upper-class people; his lawyers argue this assumes someone from a predominantly Black neighbourhood would lack strong speaking skills. 2 Right · 1Flores's law firms, Wigdor LLP and Elefterakis, Elefterakis & Panek, said in a statement that the documents show his decision to hold the league accountable "has been met with unlawful retaliation" and that discrimination still plays a significant role in NFL head-coach hiring, as the Raiders profile "leans heavily on racial stereotypes". 1 Right · 2Flores sued the NFL and its 32 teams in February 2022, naming the Dolphins, Broncos and Giants, and was later joined by Steve Wilks and Ray Horton; Breitbart describes the suit as against the league and six teams. 1 2

Right · 1Fox News's Outkick column adds that if the memo's line calling Flores "the worst hiring decision we've ever made" came from a Dolphins executive, it could support his defamation claim, but that truth can be a partial defence in a discrimination suit; it notes he had staff turnover and angry incidents with staffers in Miami. 1 Right · 1Breitbart reports Flores has led the Vikings to a 5-0 start in 2026 with the NFL's top-scoring defense. The reports do not include a response from the NFL, Korn Ferry or the Raiders. 2