NFL Notes: Bill Belichick, Brian Flores, Mitchell Trubisky

Bill Belichick

Steelers LB coach Brian Flores said he included texts from Patriots HC Bill Belichick to outline his belief that minority coaching candidates are not getting a fair shot in the hiring practices.

“To me, I thought it was specific to the lawsuit in that it confirmed a lot of the things that I thought were going on — that I think a lot of Black or minority coaches think are going on as far,” Flores said, via NESN. “It kind of confirmed it for me as having a fair and equal opportunity to go and have an interview and show your acumen, show intelligence, show your ability to lead, show your willingness and your leadership. Oftentimes, it’s not a fair and equal playing field.”

Flores maintains that he’s not mad, nor doesn’t he harbor any ill will towards Belichick.

“Bill did what a lot of us (have done),” Flores said. “He sent a text message to the wrong person. I’m certainly guilty of that before.”

Flores went a step further and even praised Belichick, reaffirming that he believes he’s the greatest coach of all time.

“I think the one thing people don’t know about Bill is that he listens,” Flores said. “He listens, so if you have — and, again, you’ve gotta earn the right for him to listen — but if you have an idea, a thought, a person (or) there’s a matchup we can win, a part in the game, he’ll listen. He may add something to it. He may throw it out. But he listens. I think that’s one of his greatest strengths. I try to take from him when I was in Miami.”

Brian Flores

Steelers LB coach Brian Flores is still making the rounds providing context on his lawsuit against the NFL and the Dolphins for racial discrimination. For the first time, he explicitly tied his surprise dismissal from Miami to racism. 

“I think race played a role in my firing,” Flores said on the “I Am Athlete” podcast. “What I mean by that is, there were things I was asked to do. There were conversations that were had. I was made out to be a difficult person to work with. I think my white counterparts wouldn’t have been asked to do the things I was asked to do.”

• Flores says he did not sign the separation agreement from the Dophins, foregoing his pay from the final two years of his contract but preserving his right to sue. 
• In an interview slated to air on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Flores’ attorney says they “definitely have corroborating evidence” for tanking allegations against owner Stephen Ross. (PFT) 

Mitchell Trubisky

It’s starting to look like the frenzy of quarterback movement that was anticipated this offseason might not unfold that way. That doesn’t change the number of teams who are desperate for help at the position, though, which means backups with former starting experience like Bills QB Mitchell Trubisky could find themselves in high demand. 

“I could see him going to a situation where he can be a starting option and the team drafts a quarterback,” an AFC exec said via ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. “He’ll have to go out there and earn it, but there’s certainly enough there where the right offense can accommodate him. The offense in Chicago was pretty rigid and on-script, and I’m not sure it suited him.”

Trubisky signed with the Bills as a backup last offseason to take a year to reset and work on his game following his failed stint in Chicago. He opted for that rather than signing with a team where he might have had a chance to compete for playing time and he’s grateful he did. 

“Going to Buffalo really opened my eyes,” said Trubisky. “After being in Chicago for four years, there was only one way I knew how to do things. [Being] in Buffalo and [having] a different way of doing things, you learn what’s possible. It helped me get back to instinctual football and using my talents rather than overthinking.”

One of the criticisms of Trubisky with the Bears was that he played too robotically, perhaps because he was overcoached by former HC Matt Nagy. Trubisky himself said he was drawn to the Bills because of their work with Allen and how freely he played. 

“One thing Josh showed [Trubisky] is it’s OK to freelance a little bit, use your athleticism and instincts,” Bills GM Brandon Beane said. “I think he will take that with him.”

“Mitch has been through the ringer,” Allen added. “No. 2 pick, how he handled being a professional, coming into a situation where you never thought you’ll be in that situation, that’s not easy. But he handled it with such class… The dude is an athlete. I don’t think people really understand that. You give him leeway in an offense to have that mindset of, ‘See it, do it, we trust you.’ He’s going to kill it.”

• Fowler lists the Commanders, Panthers and Giants as teams who could be fits for Trubisky this offseason.