The Brian Flores litigation has uncovered a potentially significant document through a subpoena issued to the Korn Ferry search firm. And Korn Ferry is trying to keep the document out of public view.
The document has been designated as confidential under a general protective order that allows the parties to claim that certain materials should not be disclosed. Flores’s lawyers have challenged the effort to keep it secret.
Via Daniel Kaplan, Korn Ferry filed paperwork on Thursday in support of the effort to keep the document under seal. Korn Ferry argues, among other things, that “whether the limited information from Exhibit A that Korn Ferry requests remain sealed is purportedly `discriminatory’ or `retaliatory,’ such that it supports and is relevant to Plaintiff’s claims in the Supplemental Complaint, has no bearing on whether Korn Ferry is legally entitled to have Exhibit A remain under seal.”
This statement suggests, as Kaplan notes, that Flores’s lawyers have argued that the document helps prove that he was the victim of discrimination and/or retaliation.
The document in question, which one source called “insane,” was generated by Korn Ferry in connection with a coaching search conducted by the Raiders. The precise Raiders coaching search isn’t specified; the Raiders have hired new coaches in 2026, 2025, 2024, 2022, and 2018.
If the document shows potential retaliation, it means that it came from a coaching search after the filing of Flores’s lawsuit, on February 1, 2022. Because the Raiders hired Josh McDaniels on January 31, 2022, it would limit the potential application of the document to the search that resulted in the hiring of Antonio Pierce in 2024, Pete Carroll in 2025, or Klint Kubiak in 2026.
Two of those searches happened after Tom Brady — who played for the Patriots when Flores served on the coaching staff there — became a minority owner of the team.
Regardless of whether the document comes to light in the short term, it’ll definitely be disclosed and discussed if/when the case goes to trial. If the document is truly bad for the NFL and the various teams that have been sued, it could result in the case being settled before the document ever comes to light.
One of Miami’s rookie defenders will be sidelined for a bit.
Per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, safety Kyle Louis suffered an MCL sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Raiders.
He is expected to miss a few weeks.
Louis was selected in the fourth round of this year’s draft. He was on the field for 14 special teams snaps and three defensive snaps before he exited the Week 1 contest.
Ashton Jeanty had his third career 100-yard game and accounted for 147 yards in the Raiders’ 27-13 victory over the Dolphins on Sunday.
The 2025 first-round pick had 138 rushing yards against the Bears in his fourth game last season and 188 total yards against the Texans on Dec. 21.
He scored twice against the Dolphins, catching two 13-yard Kirk Cousins’ passes for touchdowns.
Cousins, with No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza waiting in the wings behind him, went 21-of-30 for 160 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. His first touchdown went to Jack Bech and covered 15 yards.
The Raiders defense held the Dolphins to 259 yards, sacked Malik Willis five times and forced two turnovers. Linebacker Nakobe Dean had six tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss; defensive end Kwity Paye had six tackles, two sacks and four quarterback hits; rookie safety Treydan Stukes had two tackles and an interception; and defensive end Maxx Crosby had two tackles and 1.5 sacks.
Dolphins running back De’Von Achane gained only 36 yards on 11 carries and caught four passes for 30 yards.
Willis kept it interesting by going 15-of-27 for 220 yards and an interception. He also had six carries for a team-leading 39 yards.
Rookie Caleb Douglas caught five passes for 94 yards.
Kirk Cousins’ first interception of the game got the Dolphins back in the game, but only briefly.
Rookie Michael Taaffe picked Cousins at the Miami 46 on the second play of the second half. Taaffe returned it 2 yards, and the Dolphins drove 52 yards in only four plays.
Malik Willis threw a 25-yard pass to rookie Chris Bell and then a 13-yard pass to rookie Caleb Douglas. Two plays later, Willis ran 14 yards for a touchdown.
That cut the Raiders’ lead to 17-13.
Cousins, though, answered with a five-play, 50-yard drive, capping it with his third touchdown of the day. He passed John Elway for 14th on the all-time passing touchdowns list with his 301st, a 13-yard toss to running back Ashton Jeanty.
The Raiders lead 24-13 with 9:58 remaining in the third quarter.
Jeanty’s first touchdown was also a 13-yard reception.
Cousins is 16-of-20 for 130 yards.
In a matchup of teams expected to be among the worst in the NFL this season, the Raiders were better than the Dolphins in the first half.
Kirk Cousins threw two touchdown passes and Matt Gay kicked a 47-yard field goal as Las Vegas took a 17-6 lead into the locker room at halftime.
Cousins, who is grooming No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza to one day take his job, went 14-of-17 for 96 yards. His touchdowns covered 15 yards to Jack Bech and 13 yards to Ashton Jeanty.
He has 300 career touchdowns now, which ties John Elway for 14th all time. Fran Tarkenton is next on the list in 13th with 342.
The Raiders outgained the Dolphins 170 to 151 and scored on all three possessions with drives of 93, 38 and 54 yards. They had 32 plays.
Jeanty ran for 43 yards on seven carries and had three catches for 20 yards. Rookie running back Mike Washington had four carries for 35 yards.
Malik Willis is 9-of-13 for 119 yards in his Miami debut and has run for 13 yards on three carries. Rookie wide receiver Caleb Douglas has four catches for 81 yards.
Running back De’Von Achane has eight carries for 26 yards and two carries for 21 yards.
Dolphins kicker Riley Patterson had field goals of 41 and 37 yards.
