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Brian Flores
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Wilfredo Lee / dpa
The NFL team Pittsburgh Steelers has hired football coach Brian Flores as an assistant coach after his discrimination lawsuit against the US professional league.
The team confirmed this on Saturday evening.
The former Miami Dolphins head coach sued the National Football League (NFL) for discrimination on February 1.
Flories accuses the league of discriminating against blacks in the application process for coaching positions because of the color of their skin.
"In a way, the NFL is racially segregated and managed like a plantation," the 58-page lawsuit reads.
Flores directs his demands against the NFL as well as against the New York Giants, the Denver Broncos and his last team so far, the Miami Dolphins.
He was released from there in January after three years.
(Read more about the lawsuit here.)
Even in the case of a new job with a team, Flores had announced that it would continue with the lawsuit.
According to the Reuters news agency, his lawyers confirmed this.
He hopes for a change in the thinking and in the hearts of the team owners of the 32 teams.
"If I never coach again, but there is a change, then it was worth it," he said in early February.
The US President also got involved
"I'm delighted that Brian Flores is joining our coaching team," Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin said in a statement.
"Brian's resume speaks for itself and I look forward to him bringing his expertise to our team."
Tomlin was the league's only black head coach following Flores' sacking.
The NFL now has two blacks in the top post: In addition to Tomlin, this is Lovie Smith at the Houston Texans.
In the NFL, teams are required by rule to invite minority representatives to interview for job openings.
Flores complains that this is often done with no intention of giving these candidates a real chance.
The league and the three teams involved in his class action lawsuit have issued statements denying the allegations.
US President Joe Biden recently warned the league to have more diversity in coaching duties due to Flores' allegations of racism.
ngo/dpa/sid/Reuters