John Elway Responds To Brian Flores' Allegations About His Broncos Interview: 'Subjective, Hurtful And Just Plain Wrong'

(CBS4) - Denver Broncos president of football operations John Elway on Thursday responded forcefully to Brian Flores' allegations made earlier this week about his 2019 meeting with the Broncos. In a lawsuit filed against the NFL and several teams alleging unfair hiring practices, he claimed Elway and president/CEO Joe Ellis didn't take a head coaching job interview with him seriously.

Elway claimed Flores' statements about that meeting -- that his interview was a sham and only conducted to satisfy the NFL's Rooney Rule -- were "subjective, hurtful and just plain wrong."

"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," Elway said in a statement released by the team.

Flores, recently fired as head coach in Miami, named the Dolphins, Giants and Broncos in his lawsuit. He said in the lawsuit that Elway, then the team's general manager, and Ellis showed up an hour late for his interview at a Providence, Rhode Island hotel, and they "looked completely disheveled and it was obvious that they had been drinking heavily the night before."

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Elway responded that he seriously considered Flores, one of five candidates for the job that ultimately went to then-Bears defensive coordinator Vic Fangio. And he denied Flores' contention he was hung over and just going through the motions to satisfy the league's requirement that teams interview minority candidates for head coaching jobs.

Elway said that if he appeared disheveled, "it was because we had just flown in during the middle of the night" following an interview in Denver with another candidate, Mike Munchak, "and were going on a few hours of sleep to meet the only window provided to us."

At the time, Flores was the linebackers coach and defensive play caller for the New England Patriots. He was hired by the Dolphins shortly after his interview with the Broncos.

"I interviewed Brian in good faith, giving him the same consideration and opportunity as every other candidate for our head coaching position in 2019," Elway said.

Elway said he enjoyed his 3 1/2-hour interview with Flores and was "prepared, ready and fully engaged ... as Brian shared his experience and vision for our team."

"It's unfortunate and shocking to learn for the first time this week that Brian felt differently about our interview with him," Elway added.

His complete statement lies below:

"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 the 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 in during the middle of the night—immediately following another interview in Denver—and were going on a few hours of sleep to meet the only window provided to us.

I interviewed Brian in good faith, giving him the same consideration and opportunity as every other candidate for our head coaching position in 2019."

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)