Miami Heat icon Chris Bosh recently directed criticism at the Miami Dolphins for their decision to part ways with former head coach Brian Flores, as Bosh believes that race was a factor in the move.
Bosh expressed his frustration over the NFL’s lack of Black head coaches and used the Flores firing as an example of a bigger issue in the league.
“Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched the discrimination behind that disparity play out in real-time,” Bosh wrote. “I’m happy anytime anyone gets a job, but it sure seems like the white guys are having an easier time becoming head coaches and general managers nowadays, while Black coaches are held to an entirely different standard.”
Bosh suggested that performance wasn’t the only factor in Miami’s decision to fire Flores.
“Now, we can argue all day about the merits of a specific team or coach, or about whether a record just over .500 is worth celebrating,” Bosh wrote. “That’s fine. But here’s a question: when you see a guy like Flores—who led his team to its first consecutive winning seasons in nearly two decades—get shown the door that swiftly, do you wonder if his performance isn’t the only factor?
“Do you wonder how the Dolphins’ owners could cut Flores because they didn’t ‘think we were really working well as an organization,’ while praising their General Manager, who’s just as—if not more—responsible for the roster?
“Do you wonder why, the very week Flores was let go, the [Houston] Texans made a similar claim when they fired coach David Culley? ‘Philosophical differences’ was the reason given for his removal—never mind the fact that Culley put up the same record with a rookie QB that his predecessor had with Deshaun Watson. Taking on the job during a turbulent time for the franchise, and putting in that performance should warrant another year—at least in my mind. Why didn’t the Texans see it the same way?
“To answer that, maybe you need to ask another question: If Flores or Culley had been white, do you really think they’d have been fired after this season?
“I don’t.”
At present, there’s no indication that race played a role in the Dolphins dismissing Flores, with Flores himself not making that claim.
After Flores was let go, his apparent conflicts with Dolphins brass and communication issues with other coaches were offered as possible reasons for his dismissal.
In an effort to prove his point, Bosh pointed to a situation involving the Detroit Lions, who appear to be keeping head coach Dan Campbell around despite a losing 2021 season.
“Let’s go to Detroit first: a few weeks after the Dolphins’ decision, the Lions chose to keep their new head coach—despite finishing the season at 3-13,” Bosh wrote. “That’s a year after going 5-11! I’m not trying to get personal, but this is sports. A record is what it is.”
Concluding his criticism, Bosh explained that he can no longer support the NFL until meaningful change occurs.
Bosh’s particular interest in the Dolphins’ situation should come as no surprise, as he spent a large portion of his NBA career playing in Miami. Of course, he made a massive impact during his time with the Heat organization.
The Dolphins have yet to hire a new head coach, so it’s possible that the team could choose to hire a Black candidate. Whether or not that would change Bosh’s mindset is unclear.
