Speaking on Wednesday at the Senior Bowl, Giants GM Joe Schoen commented on the racial discrimination lawsuit filed by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores that names the Giants and the rest of the NFL.
“We had a thorough coaching search and Brian Flores was one of the finalists and I’ll just leave it at that,” Schoen told reporters.
Schoen did not elaborate further since the matter is pending litigation.
Former Giants QB Eli Manning also weighed in on Flores’ allegations on Wednesday, saying that he didn’t believe there was any “wrongdoing.”
“I was not involved in any of that process in any way, so I don’t know the details,” Manning told The New York Post. “I know the Giants organization. I know they do everything possible to give everybody a fair chance. They don’t care minority or not, they are looking for the best possible candidate. They are going to do everything properly to look for that perfect candidate. So, I don’t think there was any wrongdoing there.”
At the center of Flores’ allegations against the Giants are text messages sent from New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick to Flores before Flores’ second interview with the team, mistakenly believing that he was texting Brian Daboll, whom the team hired as head coach this past Friday.
In the texts, Belichick — before he knew he was talking to Flores and not Daboll — said “I hear from Buffalo & NYG that you are their guy. Hope it works out if you want it to!!”
During Flores’ appearance on ESPN’s Get Up on Wednesday, he was asked what his reaction was to getting the texts from Belichick.
“Disbelief, humiliation. That was a tough pill to swallow,” he said. “I have a great amount of respect for Bill and Brian Daboll. Brian’s a great coach. I think he’s gonna do a great job as a head coach in this league. I was upset that I wasn’t getting a true opportunity to show what I can do, to show what I can bring to a team, which I feel is a lot. That’s what I’ve shown in my time as a head coach.”