Over three seasons, Mularkey coached the Titans to a 20-21 document. Horton, 61, coached two extra seasons: as defensive coordinator for the Cleveland Browns in 2016 and as defensive backs coach with Washington in 2019. Horton continues to be looking for work within the N.F.L., however stated within the criticism that he was seen as a “stale” candidate and that he had not been known as to interview for any head coach job openings.
“After I realized from Coach Mularkey’s statements that my head coach interview with the Titans was a sham, I used to be devastated and humiliated,” Horton stated in an announcement.
He added: “Though I do know that I’m taking a danger being related to this case, it might be an even bigger danger to face on the sideline and provides the N.F.L. a cross for the systemic discrimination that has harmed me and so many others.”
The claims by Wilks and Horton echo allegations Flores made in his authentic criticism. Earlier than being employed by the Dolphins in 2019, Flores stated, he sat for what he known as a “sham” interview with executives from the Denver Broncos. In that assembly, Flores stated, John Elway, then the workforce’s common supervisor, and Joe Ellis, the workforce’s president, and others confirmed up an hour late. Flores felt the one cause he was interviewed was so the workforce may adjust to the Rooney Rule, an assertion the workforce denied. Elway known as Flores’s characterization “false and defamatory.”
After Flores was fired by the Dolphins on the finish of the 2021 season, he interviewed for different head teaching positions, together with with the Giants. In his authentic criticism, Flores stated he had been “humiliated within the course of because the New York Giants subjected him to a sham interview in an try to look to offer a Black candidate with a official probability at acquiring the job.”
Final week, a co-owner of the workforce, John Mara, denied the allegations and stated he had no plans to settle the swimsuit. “We’re very snug with our hiring course of,” he stated. “It was a good course of, and we ended up making the choice that we made based mostly on loads of elements, none of which needed to do with race.”