On February 1, former Dolphins coach Brian Flores turned the NFL upside down with a landmark class-action lawsuit alleging racial discrimination in the hiring, compensation, and retention of Black coaches. The battle will soon be officially joined by the NFL.
Typically, a defendant in a civil case has 30 days to respond. Those deadlines can be extended. Requests for extra time usually are granted as a matter of course, given that the lawyers representing the plaintiff may eventually need another week or two at some point, too.
Still, with the lawsuit having been filed 34 days ago, the window for a formal response is open. Eventually, the NFL and the three specifically-named teams (Dolphins, Giants, and Broncos) will file and serve their opening paperwork.
The options are simple. Answer the allegations in the complaint or file a motion attacking the case in some way.
The biggest question is whether the league will try to force some or all of the claims into mandatory arbitration, under…