Former Broncos GM John Elway Releases Strong Statement Denying Brian Flores' 'Attack'

The Duke of Denver isn't taking Brian Flores' ad hominem attack lying down.

Earlier this week, the Denver Broncos were rocked by a lawsuit against the team filed by former Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores in Federal Court. The complaint accuses the Broncos of discrimination in the club's hiring process and alleges that then-GM John Elway and CEO Joe Ellis were "disheveled" as they appeared "an hour late" for his head-coaching interview in January of 2019. 

Flores' implication was that Elway and company were hungover. As always, there are two sides to this story and the truth lies perhaps somewhere in the middle. 

Ellis released a statement as current Broncos CEO hot on the heels of Flores filing his lawsuit in Federal Court, denying the allegations. On Thursday, after mulling it over, Elway followed suit with his own statement denying what he viewed as an "attack" on his "character."  

"While I was not planning to respond publicly to the false and defamatory claims by Brian Flores, I could not be silent any longer with my character, integrity and professionalism being attacked. I took Coach Flores very seriously as a candidate for our head coaching position in 2019 and enjoyed our three-and-a-half hour interview with him. Along with the rest of our group, I was prepared, ready and fully engaged during the entire interview as Brian shared his experience and vision for our team. It’s unfortunate and shocking to learn for first time this week that Brian felt differently about our interview with him.

"For Brian to make an assumption about my appearance and state of mind early that morning was subjective, hurtful and just plain wrong. If I appeared 'disheveled' as he claimed it was because we had flown during middle of night—immediately following another interview in Denver—and were going on a few hours sleep to meet the only window provided. I interviewed Brian in good faith, giving him the same consideration and opportunity as every other candidate for our head coaching position in 2019.”

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The Broncos claim that if there's a kernel of truth to Flores' allegations, it's that they may have appeared "disheveled" because they had to fly into town in the wee hours of the night in order to make the 7:30 am appointment. The start-time was apparently chosen by Flores, or at least, that's the implication, as was the amount of time allocated for the interview. 

Elway's critics, and the self-same people in the media landscape that are believing and championing Flores' claims on face value, point to the former Broncos GM's reputation as a drinker as evidence of the veracity of the allegations. Elway's reputation being what it is doesn't prove that he showed up to one of five head-coaching interviews hungover. 

Let's not forget, Elway hired a Black head coach two years prior in Vance Joseph, passing over the hot-to-trot and highly-coveted Kyle Shanahan and Kansas City Chiefs special teams coordinator Dave Toub — both of whom are white. 

To think that Flores' interview in 2019 was scheduled simply as a hollow "sham" (Flores' verbiage) to satisfy the NFL's Rooney Rule — it doesn't hold water considering the Joseph reality and also Ellis' public remarks and actions in support of improved diversity in the league and organizations like Black Lives Matter. 

Plus, the Broncos interviewed two Black candidates for the head-coaching job during this hiring cycle. Kansas City Chiefs offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy and Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn were interviewed for the job in person by GM George Paton and his five-headed hiring committee, which included chief communications officer Patrick Smyth, who was also at the Flores interview in 2019.

Flores has been making the media rounds, appearing with his attorney on ESPN and other nationally-televised platforms, raking Elway, Ellis, and the Broncos through the mud. Elway could stay silent amid these ugly and defamatory allegations. 

The Broncos claim that they have copious notes and other evidence that prove Flores was a genuine candidate for the head-coaching job back in 2019. No doubt, Flores must have some sort of evidence to support his claims in the complaint, or else he'd be opening himself up, perhaps, to libel. 

Let's not forget, though, that Flores was very colorful in his praise for the Broncos and that interview with Elway and Ellis in the years since January of 2019 when the meeting took place. After the job went to Vic Fangio, and Flores got the Dolphins gig, here's what Flores said of his interview with the Broncos ahead of the Miami at Denver matchup during the 2020 season, nearly two years later.

"I remember it vividly," Flores said on November 11, 2020. "Obviously, John Elway was there, Joe Ellis, [Chief Communications Officer) Patrick Smyth, [V.P. of Football Operations & Compliance] Mark Thewes, and my good buddy [then-V.P. of Player Personnel] Matt Russell. I know him personally from our days in New England in the personnel department. It was just great, for me—doing my own background work and learning more about the Denver Broncos and their history, the Bowlen family and the great history that they have there as an organization. I was excited to interview with them. I thought it went well. It was great to meet the executives there and spend some time with them. I think [former head coach] Vic [Fangio] is a great coach. They got the right coach and the right people in place. It's a talented team, that's for sure. It was a good experience for me personally."

Hopefully, the truth will be known in due time as the legal process plays out and the two sides present the Federal Court with whatever evidence they have to support their claims and denials.  

The only evidence of a "sham" interview Flores reportedly provided in his 50-plus-page lawsuit points to the New York Giants as perhaps being guilty of the accusation. Read this for more background on why, if there's a team named in this lawsuit that may not have interviewed Flores in good faith, it's the Giants. 

Stay tuned. 

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