"Racism and any form of discrimination are against the values ​​of the (professional American football) League. We have made significant efforts to promote diversity (...) but we must recognize that when it comes to head coaches , the results were unacceptable," Goodell lamented in a memo to the 32 clubs on Saturday and obtained by NFL Network.

These words uttered by the boss of the body are the first since the former coach of the Dolphins, Brian Flores, filed a class action lawsuit on Tuesday against the NFL, according to him "managed like a plantation", as well as against three clubs that he accuses of racial discrimination.

Both in the context of "fictitious" job interviews, conducted in January by the New York Giants and in 2019 by the Denver Broncos, and in that of his recent dismissal from the Miami Dolphins.

In 2020, the NFL changed the Rooney Rule, requiring clubs to interview at least two minority candidates for a vacant head coaching position.

"We understand the concerns expressed by Mr. Flores. As the legal process moves forward, we will not wait to reassess and modify our strategies to ensure they are consistent with our values ​​and our commitment to diversity. , equity and inclusion," Goodell promised.

Dolphins coach Brian Flores before the game against the New England Patriots on January 9, 2022 in Miami Mark Brown Getty/AFP/Archives

"Independent experts" called upon

"We will bring in outside experts to help us and we will also seek input from current and former players and managers. Our aim is simple: to make our efforts and those of the clubs more effective in order to achieve real results and tangible. There is still a lot of work to be done,” he called.

In the NFL Championship, where 70% of players are black, there is only one African-American head coach serving 32 teams: Mike Tomlin of the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Nine positions have been vacant in recent weeks and six have already been awarded, all to white coaches.

Roger Goodell also returned to other accusations made by Brian Flores, against Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, who allegedly urged him to deliberately lose games in 2019, going so far as to offer him $ 100,000 for each conceded defeat.

Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, September 25, 2021 before their game in Las Vegas Christian Petersen Getty/AFP/Archives

The goal is for the team to be in the best possible position for the next Draft.

Because the principle of this lottery is that the worst ranked clubs at the end of a season are among the first to be able to choose one of the most highly rated academics presenting themselves there.

On Wednesday, another coach, Hue Jackson, accused his former club the Cleveland Browns of also inciting him to lose matches in 2016 and 2017, against bonuses.

The NFL "takes seriously any question relating to the integrity of the matches. These questions will be examined in depth, by independent experts", rebounded Goodell.

© 2022 AFP