Flores: I declined Miami's separation agreement to discuss treatment by team
Former Dolphins coach Brian Flores told Bryant Gumbel of HBO's "Real Sports" that he rejected a separation agreement offered to him by Miami owner Stephen Ross, per ESPN's Brooke Pryor.
The contract, which Ross offered following Flores' dismissal, was a two-year non-disparagement agreement, according to attorney Doug Wigdor.
"Just signing that separation agreement would have really silenced me," Flores said in an episode airing Tuesday.
John Elefterakis, one of Flores' attorneys, said the coach forwent millions of dollars by declining the separation agreement to speak about his time with the Dolphins.
"If a coach is terminated with a couple years or a year left on their contract, they don't get paid unless they sign a waiver, an NDA, confidentiality, and non-disparagement," Wigdor said. "So, they buy their silence."
In a response to Flores' comments Tuesday evening, the Dolphins said they were "categorically false."
"This just did not happen, and we simply cannot understand why Brian continues this pattern of making unfounded statements that he knows are untrue," the team said.
However, Wigdor later posted screenshots from the draft agreement, with one of the provisions specifically detailing a non-disparagement clause.
Miami fired Flores on Jan. 10 following a 9-8 campaign in 2021. The dismissal was reportedly due to his deteriorating relationship with general manager Chris Grier and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Flores denied any rift with the 23-year-old passer in an appearance on the "I Am Athlete" show earlier this month, saying, "I think there was a great deal of respect between the two of us."
The 40-year-old coach filed a racial discrimination lawsuit against the NFL, the Dolphins, the New York Giants, and the Denver Broncos over their hiring practices.
Flores also said Ross offered him $100,000 per loss in 2019. The New York native and his attorneys told Gumbel they have evidence of the matter and would be willing to share it with the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell vowed earlier this month that the league will investigate the allegation of Ross deliberately tanking.
Meanwhile, Flores - who recently joined the Pittsburgh Steelers as a senior defensive assistant/linebackers coach - denied rumors Tuesday that he considered returning to the New England Patriots prior to filing his lawsuit.
Flores, who served as a Patriots assistant from 2008-2018, revealed a few weeks ago that he received a congratulatory text from Bill Belichick for getting the Giants' head coaching job three days before he met with New York. However, Belichick apparently meant to send the message to Brian Daboll, who was hired a day after Flores interviewed.
Flores says he hasn't spoken with Belichick since he filed his lawsuit.
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